Thicker than Blood
by Anti-Twilight Forever
Summary: A retelling of Ni no Kuni, through the eyes of Swaine... and a young companion who follows him everywhere. But there is more to their bond than the thief believes. Yet with no voice, how can the boy tell him the true reason? Perhaps joining the Pure Hearted Wizard will help them both figure it out.
1. Prologue: Broken Hearted

_Idiot… wretched idiot! Can't you do anything right?!_ The young man scolded himself, as he walked through the forest known as the Golden Grove. He had a limp in his step, his body aching and bruised from the fight he had dragged himself out of just yesterday.

He had been running since the previous afternoon, hoping that he hid his tracks well enough so those rough-necked guards would be unable to find a trace of him.

Not that he did anything wrong… unless they were after him for the supplies he had 'borrowed'.

Being no older than 19, possibly 20 in a few good months, the young vagabond had been hoping to be on top of the world by now- introducing foreign lands to the technology of his own empire, becoming a legend in the mechanical arts. Ever since he was 13, which happened to be the 'coming of age' time of every boy's life in his country, he had been dreaming of changing the world…

But, he had spent most of his years helping his little brother. The two were hardly inseparable- drawing blue-prints together, practicing their combat skills, and sharing ideas on what they could do for their kingdom. His little brother was the prodigy of the family- having mastered spells at a young age, always in the library learning all about magicka until his brother asked if he wanted to get out of the palace for a while.

Of course, his brother was so powerful, he didn't need his older brother looking out for him anymore.

And he had to find his own place in the empire.

He decided to leave Hamelin and see the world, perhaps finding something to bring back to their city, as well as show the rest of the kingdoms and villages a bit of Hamelin culture.

Yet the task grew to be difficult. For one thing, Hamelin was mostly known for its warlike realm and weaponry; the rest of the world didn't exactly care for things such as firearms, tanks or airships. He tried to convince everyone that carrying a handgun would help them save magicka, showing them methods in 'enhancing' the bullets to pull tricks they could use with wands- which he referred to as 'Trick Shots'.

But his effort was in vain. Some people believed his gun was useless- as long as people could use magic (or knew someone who could) and had a good familiar to fight with, such a weapon was unneeded; others thought it would be too dangerous, worried that their children could hurt themselves if handling one, or some lowlife would buy one to harm others. He tried introducing it to soldiers, but they claimed they had enough weaponry- though he could tell the real reason was because they thought of him as some shady con-man.

He ended up having to take up various jobs in order to feed himself. Sometimes he would try his luck at hunting bounties, figuring he could use his gun to take a beast down and prove how affective his talent was… but the tasks proved greater than he thought, and he ended up spending the money he earned (from tasks he didn't abandon) on healing items.

Eventually, he resorted to stealing.

It started out with him grabbing an item out of desperation- food when he had hit a starving point, or medicine when he was ill or wounded- only to pay the merchant back out of good conscience, the shopkeeper stunned as he didn't realize anything was missing. When he realized he had quite a bit of stealth, he began snagging items- only when he was low on guilders, or if the situation was critical.

Before long, he made it his hobby… though only kept to food, medicines, clothing, or items he needed to repair/upgrade his pistol.

Hell, he managed to install a grappling-hook into his gun, making it to where it could snatch something out of anyone's pocket without them realizing it, or items off attacking creatures. At another point, he added a 'pick-lock' trigger that helped open chests from a great distance, after noticing a few 'hidden' around a town or two.

He felt pride, being crafty in this line of work… but at the same time shame weighed heavily on his shoulders. This was not the kind of life he wanted to lead- not the kind of reputation he wanted to bring home. He could practically see his brother's disappointed look now…

He wanted a way out.

He almost found one…

It was wonderful- for once he wasn't living on the streets, was making an honest living, feeling like he found his place in the world…

But, just his luck, he fouled it up. His reputation as a thief preceded him, and everything shot to hell, throwing him back to square one.

 _Who was I kidding…?_ He continued to scold himself. _I screwed up years ago… I shouldn't have left home… Marcassin must be sitting high on the throne, leading Hamelin to a great future- and I'm living in the gutter as a thief…_

He looked at his gun- currently broken, the barrel dismantled and the grappling-hook bent, the cartridge empty. It was made of bronze metal, having a bit of green in its design- just like the first gun he had seen that man carrying when he was 13.

He shook his head, holding in a delusional chuckle. _I should have known better… my future was staring at me in the face, and I didn't realize it until I had to change my name._ he thought, somewhat bitter with himself. The truth had dawned on him a while ago- after he first used the gun to steal from a chest, receiving a common green jacket.

He stopped by a clear pond to rest, looking at his reflection. His hair was still too short to end up in a tangled mess, yet he had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, his skin had grown pale, and he had grown stubble after missing a few days of shaving.

He sighed, sitting down. He wondered how long it would be until he'd meet his 'companions'…

Though, at this rate, it would be a miracle if time didn't alter and make it to where he never met them, dying in the streets...

"You seem down in spirits,"

He let out a gasp, turning around. Standing before him was a cloaked figure; however, he could barely make out their features, as the woods had grown dark all of a sudden. Yet he still had a bad feeling about this stranger… "What's it matter to you?" he replied.

"I'm hoping to help relieve a burden from your heart," the figure answered. "Your situation seemed to have hit a tragic point, did it not? It could have been avoided, had your thieving ways remained secretive,"

The thief arched an eyebrow. How did this man know about his situation? "What are you, some sort of stalker?" he sneered, crossing his arms. "Let me guess- someone hired you to track me down and haul me to jail, right?"

"Perish the thought. I came to help you become who you are meant to be…"

"Who I'm meant to…? What are you talking about? Who are you?!"

The figure began to float just then, holding up a staff. Before the vagabond could react, some sort of light shot out, hitting him in the chest- though he felt no pain. He looked up at the figure, backing away, before turning and sprinting. "Go on and run… that is the life you shall carry- considering you are, and always will be, a thief,"

Run he did. He did not know what that… that… _demon_ did to him, but he felt it was best if he didn't find out.

He kept running, sprinting across the desert until he reached a safe-point behind a rock. That is when he collapsed, the nerves of fear and exhaustion getting the best of him.

0o0o0o0o0o0

When he came to, he found himself in a campsite. An old man and his wife seemed to be sitting by a fire, while the thief lay on a blanket. "Who do you suppose he is?" the woman asked.

"Some sort of streetrat, I'm guessing- wasn't carrying a travelling pack or anything, at least. Looks like he got out of a bad fight, we should take him to the authorities," the old man replied.

The thief flinched. If they took him to the authorities, chances are they would recognize his face and haul him into the nearest jail-cell. He didn't want to risk being behind bars again…

The first time he was given mercy, as he promised to work off his debt.

The second time, he made the alibi that he had been framed, managing to get out.

The third time, the guards were starting to catch on, sending out reports that if the thief were caught again, he was to remain in custody for the appointed penalty of 20 years… while they were doing that, he managed to break out.

But he couldn't get caught again, especially since they were near Al-Mamoon- having heard the penalty for stealing in that town involved his hands getting chopped off.

Best to make a break for it.

He remained still, pretending to be unconscious until the old couple had their backs turned- the woman climbing into the tent while the man put out the fire.

The thief then hurried and hid behind their cart, careful not to wake the sleeping ulk used to pull it; he saw an oasis up ahead- if he were quiet enough, he could sneak there and keep out of sight.

Something caught his eye, just as he stood up to run.

In the back of the cart were a pair of dark blue pants, an orange shirt with a black belt, and black buckle-shoes; there was also baskets full of Drops, jugs of water, and loaves of bread; and in the back stood a few plates, cups, pots, pans, and cooking utensils.

Normally, the thief would only grab a loaf of bread and water- not just for survival but also because the couple had tended to him after he passed out- but… for some reason… everything else looked easy to grab…

In fact, it was too easy- an innocent couple, taking care of a thief without keeping their possessions covered or guarded? Either they had more trust in their fellow man than anyone else, or they forgot to pack their wits!

He began grabbing everything his arms could carry- clothes, bread, Drops, a water-jug… everything within reach!

He made a mistake of trying to grab a pot- only for it to hit the side of the cart with a *CLANG!*

"Who's there?!" came the old man's shout; from around the corner, the thief saw him summon a Gruffian-familiar!

"Yikes!" The vagabond yelped, and took off with what he had.

The Gruffian snarled, racing after him; in a desperate attempt, the thief threw the pot at it, dropping the bread and Drops as he did- though he managed to hit the hound on the head, stalling it long enough for him to dive into some bushes and hide.

He watched from afar as the old woman went up to her husband, asking what happened; the old man sadly told her that their hospitality was wasted on a no-good thief, though thankfully he didn't take anything too valuable. "Must've been some desperate bum, if all he took was a bit of bread and clothes," the old man commented.

The thief's shoulders slumped, looking at what he had stolen. Nothing valuable at all, or resourceful…

He watched as the couple packed up camp, deciding to head out before any other shady characters came along, heading toward the Golden Grove.

The thief himself sighed, taking what he had and heading deeper into the oasis.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Shadar watched the scene from the top of the cliffs; after stealing the thief's Restraint, he had to chuckle- the fool ended up robbing a kind old couple with no second-thoughts._

 _Though he could tell his heart was still strong. He seemed to sense… regret from the thief._

 _Yet he would forget about it in due time._

 _He would forget everything- from the promise to his brother to who he truly is._

" _Yes, run away, young prince." The Dark Djinn narrated. "We shall see how strong you are… for the son of a Great Sage."_

 _With that, Shadar vanished, deciding he had done enough to drive the ex-prince to ruin._

 _For now._


	2. A Busy Morning in the Dell

_~Ten Years Later~_

Ding Dong Dell seemed less lively than it had years ago.

This was one of few things Swaine had noticed, when he returned to the kingdom for a change of scenery. It was during the Spring season in the Rolling Hills, and since this area of the Summerlands was known for its cool-and-warm balancing weather, he decided it would be a nice place to relax…

…especially after having to outrun some angry sailors, after they found him stowing away on their ship.

It was actually a misunderstanding- he was hoping the ship was sailing to Autumnia, hearing a few sailors talking about taking a voyage to the continent. But, there were some last-minute changes to the course, as now the ship had to deliver cargo to Ding Dong Dell; for some reason, the merchant's partners-in-trade with Hamelin cut ties without reason.

This worried Swaine. Hamelin had a good trading system with other kingdoms- hell, one of the reasons he left home was to help expand the kinds of products they could share with other regions! Being an excellent technician and a smooth-talker, he could have persuaded every ruler and village-elder into upgrading their weaponry from common spears to handguns.

That is, if they would hear him out, remembering his attempts years ago.

Chances are he'd have no luck at all, now that he led the life of a criminal…

His reputation was [temporarily] put out of mind, after he heard that Hamelin was going through some drastic changes. Around the port of Castaway Cove, he always heard a different rumor- people wearing pig-masks, the Emperor never showing his face, some scrawny servant boy staying in the royal chambers, and now trades being called off.

He wanted to go home… he had to figure out what was going on…

His brother was smarter than that…

But, bad luck seemed to follow him; not only did the ship change course, but he also ended up being caught by one of the sailors and had to make a break for it. Thankfully, he managed to escape.

Unfortunately, he didn't have a way to sail back home.

His reputation as a thief spread- however his crimes weren't major enough to land him on a bounty-list, namely because, unlike most thieves who would injure let alone kill someone to get something, he would just swipe an object using his stealth, if not just grab something and run; he never got into a fight with anyone unless he had to defend himself…which happened quite a lot when he travelled across the wilderness. He also ended up swiping useless junk just out of impulse.

Yet just because he didn't have a bounty on his head didn't mean people would trust him to board a ship. Hell, he was lucky if anyone let him inside their shop!

Alright, so sneaking to Hamelin wasn't going to work. Best to sell a few things and earn guilders for a boat-ride, he guessed. He just wished it didn't have to be in Ding Dong Dell- one of the more 'cheap' kingdoms in Ni No Kuni. They never charged much, but they didn't pay much, either.

Still, it was better than nothing; and since it had been some time since he visited the Court of the Cat King, there was a good chance he wouldn't get called out as a thief too soon. He already established that sort of reputation in Castaway Cove, and Al-Mamoon was beginning to catch on.

He sat down and began to look through a knapsack, which he carried on his shoulder whenever he travelled. It was starting to get worn out- he would have to find a new one again, before a hole ripped in the bottom, as what often happened. _Bread… water… ugh, rotten babanas- toss those out…_ he thought as he ruffled though his minimal supplies, throwing the old babanas over the small bridge as he did. _Aha, this should be worth something!_

Pulling out a pair of flame-robes he had recently acquired, he walked into the Cawtermaster's shop. "Welcome to the Cawtermaster's, how may I help you today?" the humanoid-raven behind the desk asked in greeting.

"I would like to sell a set of Flame Robes," Swaine answered, keeping his tone casual.

"Cawrikey! It's rare for someone to sell such armor around here!" The Cawtermaster examined the robes. "Seems to be in used condition, yet looks like it hasn't seen the battlefield much…"

"Yes, well, I found better armor for my familiar, so I have no use for it anymore. So, how much would you say it's worth?"

"Hmm… I would have to say… 250g- well, make that 200g since it's been used."

 _Two hundred guilders… that's not much for a ticket to Hamelin._ The thief thought, wondering if he should bargain; then again, Ding Dong Dell had low prices, so maybe it would be enough, if not a good start. "Alright, 200 sounds-"

"Oi! There he is!"

Before the trade could finish, two men came into the shop- more specifically, two sailors he had ditched back at the port… meaning the rest were no doubt wandering around the Cat Kingdom.

"You know these gents?" The Cawtermaster asked Swaine.

"Know us?! He stole from us!" The second sailor responded first, storming over and taking the Flame Robes from the merchant. "Teach you to steal another man's equipment, you streetrat!"

The first sailor already had Swaine by the collar. "Let's haul him out to the streets an' let th' boys know we found our stowaway!" he snarled, shoving the thief out the door where he landed on the concrete.

The scene resulted in a few bystanders coming to watch, curious to know what all the commotion was about. With them a few more sailors, ready to rough up the vagabond who robbed them.

Swaine's mind raced furiously as he scrambled to his feet; the sailors were already circled around him, blocking all escape routes. He took in his surroundings, seeing the tall walls, stairways, and rooftops built within the small kingdom, an archway that led to the front of the palace, and a water-wheel that was rotating near a bridge.

Figuring out an escape-route, he drew his gun as the sailors came forth…

*Bang!*

Sailors and bystanders alike fell to the ground to avoid being shot… only to realize five seconds later that the thief was not firing bullets, but a hook instead. Said hook latched onto the branch of a tree, growing in someone's yard up the stairs.

Swaine ran and leaped onto crates, barrels, and small stairways that led to the top of a house, before he was close enough to the wall to leap onto it, 'walking' up the side of it while the cord retracted. "Blimey! How did he do that?!" one bystander exclaimed.

"After him!" Another sailor shouted, and they ran to the stairs leading up to the yard.

Swaine ran to the other side of the yard, leaping over the edge onto another rooftop, before sliding down a water-spout into someone's backyard, cutting across the courtyard and going around another house…

Pausing when he saw a green chest lying there.

There were shouts coming from the streets; a few locals were giving sailors directions on where the thief had ran.

But he wasn't going to keep running without snagging a little something, first. Aiming his pistol, he unlocked the chest, receiving a healing-tonic. That may come in handy if he got caught.

He ran through the yard, cutting through a narrow alley. The sailors had scattered, searching all over for him. He climbed some stairs, leading inside someone's home- he ran through the door, startling someone's housewife in the kitchen, before climbing out the window and grabbing onto the gutter, pulling himself onto the roof.

Damn, it was a good thing he practiced this sort of thing when he was younger, otherwise he'd have a broken neck by now.

He ran along the roof, climbing down to the top of an archway near the water-wheel. Timing himself, he jumped onto one of the gaps as if stepping on a stair (a very slippery stair) and 'stepped' down until he reached the bridge.

He then shot off towards the front of the gate. Seeing a merchant pulling a tarp-covered cart out, he quickly slipped inside, unnoticed. The merchant bid ado to the two guards defending the kingdom… one of them giving an unenthusiastic wave, looking as if he were ready for a nap.

Taking this into consideration, Swaine noticed a lack of enthusiasm all over the palace. Normally, a commotion like that would have the whole town in a frenzy, someone hollering for the guards to take action most likely. But instead, the onlookers just seemed to shrug it off without a care; sure a few people told the sailors where to find the thief, but other than that… not much of an exciting escape.

Peeking out, he saw all the sailors gathering near the front, cursing about losing track of the thief. "Ah… let him run. A louse like that won't make it in the world," he could hear one of the sailors comment. "He's too weak to take on anything- probably why he's always running,"

"Let's just forget about it; he didn't really take anything valuable," another sailor added. "Just some bum trying to find a way to eat…"

Swaine slunk down, leaning against a couple sacks of flour. He forgot for a moment that being a thief wasn't exactly praised…

Maybe it was a good thing he hadn't returned to Hamelin yet. What could a scoundrel like him bring to the empire, besides shame?


	3. The Little Beggar

_~Al-Mamoon~_

*clink clink*

*clink clink*

*rattle*

*clink*

The rusted cup was waved back and forth, in the direction of every passerby, yet no one stopped to lend a single guilder to the young boy. Sighing heavily, the child decided to walk around and find a new location, having been sitting by the Milk Fountains all morning.

The problem was, he didn't know where he should go next. He had no luck around a few booths, as the merchants would shoo him away believing he was bad for business; he tried near the palace, only for the guards to usher him off; and sitting by the Inn did nothing, as travelers were either too engrossed by the city or too tired from their travels to notice a small beggar nearby.

He walked to the front gates of the city; he did good there yesterday. A pretty girl gave him some babanas, before asking where his parents were.

He wished he could tell her he was an orphan, living on his own for so long that he lost count of the weeks, his mother having died of illness; they were too poor to afford any medical help, and had no relatives, so he was alone…

Yet his story remained unheard, as he could not speak.

There were so many times he wished he could have used his voice, since reaching Al-Mamoon some time ago, whether to let out exclamations of wonder at coming across a new city, or to cry out for help if he were injured or sick.

Thankfully, he was good with his hands, so he could share a little bit through gestures. He managed to tell the girl he had no parents by shrugging and shaking his head. She took pity on him, asking if he would like to stay with her and her father…

But, he turned down the offer. Granted, it would be nice to stay in a house with a warm bed and a hot meal, and the girl and her father seemed quite kind… though he had a mission to fulfill. If he went and stayed with someone, he could miss his chance.

He also learned, from experience, that some people would only act kind in order to trick someone. He learned this long ago, when a man promised to take care of him and his mother… only to end up taking their money; an elderly woman once conned his mother out of her savings by selling a phony Sage's Secret, which was nothing but water in a bottle; and, two weeks after his mother passed away, a man promised to help the boy find food and shelter… but in the end, turned out to be a con-man, tricking the boy into breaking into a shop and using him as a scapegoat. The man was caught, as the boy managed to escape ahead of time once he realized he had been conned.

Then there were people who didn't have to pretend to be nice- they just showed their dark sides. A band of thugs once stole food from him while he was running errands for his mother; a woman, who once had been kind, hit him with a broom when he accidentally knocked over a flower-pot; and some greedy merchants cheated his mother, charging her 40g for a couple sandwiches, which normally only cost 10g apiece.

Perhaps the most terrifying was the hooded figure he encountered, three days after his mother passed away…

" _The world is full of dark people… some of them are broken-hearted, so you cannot blame them too much for their foul spirits."_ His mother once told him. _"But there are still good people out there, and the good will always outnumber the bad."_

He hoped she was right. For the last month or so, he had encountered quite a lot of bad luck- from having to leave the last town because of a bunch of rats roaming the streets, to ending up in a scuffle with a few beasts in the field where he ended up passing out or getting wounded.

He was also starving… though, he was used to that. They never could afford enough to eat, his mother often giving him the larger portions of whatever they could afford in order to keep him fed.

Maybe that's why she grew so ill…

Sighing, he went to the front of the gate, sitting down across the street from a boy who was sending out a few homing-pigeons. The little beggar went to rattling his cup, looking at the gate and hoping a few travelers would be generous enough to lend him some guilders, if not spare a bit of food; otherwise, he would just leave and go to the next town. He heard there was a village near the shore…

"Everybody indoors!" one of the guards by the gate shouted, startling the boy. "There's a sandstorm coming!"

An alarm-bell rang, the * _dong… dong… dong…*_ sound echoing throughout the city, warning everyone to seek shelter. Merchants quickly closed up shop, packing up their goods and covering their stands with tarp; children playing in the streets stopped their games and ran indoors; and all the soldiers ran through the streets, helping others get inside.

One guard grabbed the boy by the arm. "Hurry, child- get inside!" he urged, taking the boy over to the hotel. The boy tried to tell the man that he could not stay in a hotel, but the guard had already ran back out to make sure others were safe.

Looking around the lobby, the boy noticed a few other people had ran into the little inn, despite they were not patrons. The Purrprioter welcomed everyone all the same, though, and offered complimentary beverages. "Sandstorms have a way of causing thirst, even if one is purroperly hydrated," she was saying to a couple people, handing them bottles of water.

Within moments, two guards ran in and locked the doors; seconds later, there came a howling wind, as sand began to blow into the streets, covering everything from rooftops to walkways. Looking through the glass panes of the doors, the young beggar saw that the streets were filling up fast- already the sand was almost his height!

There came a tap on his shoulder, and he turned around, seeing the Purrprioter holding a platter filled with bottles of water. "Here, here, you seem parched young man," she said, handing him a bottle. She then looked at him, up and down. "Goodness! You're filthy- been out playing in the sand, I'm guessing. And how scrawny you are… When have you last eaten?"

The boy thought for a moment, before holding up two of his fingers.

"Two minutes?"

He shook his head.

"Two hours? …Two days?!"

He nodded.

"My heavens! You poor child… Wait here," she then walked away.

The boy sighed, sitting down in a chair. He looked around, seeing that most of the people were either chatting with one another, or deciding to check into some rooms, figuring it would be a while until the sandstorm would be over with.

With no one watching, he reached under his hat- a ragged, stitched-up little cap his mother had made- and pulled out a yellow stone. To anyone else, it would seem like a scuffed, worthless piece of rock… but he knew otherwise. In time it would show its worth.

But not at this moment.

Sighing, he caressed it, hoping that its power would show soon…

The Purrprioter walked back over; quickly, the boy hid the yellow stone under his hat, before she could notice anything. He didn't know just how many people knew of its ability.

"Here, have this," the Purrprioter said, handing the boy a cheeseburger on a plate. "A child as young as you should not be left to starve…" her eyes drifted over to a corner of the room, immediately lighting up. "Oh! Please excuse me!"

The boy watched as the Purrprioter walked over to a man carrying a paintbrush and canvas- an artist, no doubt. She then began asking him about a request, for a portrait of the Cowlipha, Queen Lowlah.

The little beggar ate the cheeseburger, looking around as the crowd in the room began to disperse, heading up to rooms or look around the inn until the storm had passed.

After eating, the lobby was practically empty, save for a couple people lounging about, the artist painting on his canvas, and the Purrprioter who resumed work at her desk.

Growing tired, he curled up in the chair, shutting his eyes to sleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When he woke up, he found that it was late in the afternoon. The Purrprioter wasn't at her desk.

Standing up and stretching, he looked out the window; the storm had stopped some time ago it seemed, as a few guards were already out in the streets, sweeping and shoveling away all the sand that had billowed in, having started with doorways and making paths for people.

The beggar stepped out, walking along a clean-swept path. Perhaps he could help out and earn some guilders for doing some work.

*Whoosh!*

He gasped, ducking down as a wave of sand rushed towards him- only to blow over his head and out the gates of the city, mixing in with the rest of the Shimmering Sands. He looked over, seeing that the whole block was clear of sand, and saw a man at the end of the street, holding a staff.

"Thank you for your assistance, Rashaad," one of the guards said. "We highly appreciate it,"

"Indeed. It would have taken us all night and the next day to clean it up without your help," a second guard added. "I assure you, Queen Lowlah shall be informed of your kindness, and you shall have your reward,"

"That will not be necessary; I only helped for the sake of doing so. This city is the home of both my daughter and I," Rashaad answered, looking over his shoulder at his daughter. "Esther, how are you doing over there?"

The boy followed his gaze, seeing that Esther was the same girl who had given him babanas last week. She was currently sweeping sand away from someone's doorstep. "I'm almost finished, father!" she called back with a smile.

"Can't she use her magic? It would help her with her task," one of the guards asked.

Rashaad chuckled. "I believe my daughter's talent is used mostly for handling familiars." He answered. "She knows many songs to sooth a savage beast, and prefers to use the magic of her harp than a wand,"

" _How unique… You must be so proud- the father of a musician,"_

Everyone gasped at the voice that came from nowhere, its tone dark and venomous.

The boy's first instinct was to hide; his second to remain still and pray the Dark Djinn did not notice him.

Rashaad turned, watching as Shadar appeared, hovering above the city. "So the Dark Djinn shows himself before me at last…" he groused, glaring at the fiend. "And what darkness do you plan to unleash in our city?!"

"None… I come offering a bargain," Shadar responded, hovering closer. "Surrender yourself to my power, or suffer by a broken-heart,"

"I will not heed any bargain from you, especially one that defies my role as a Great Sage!"

"Such bold words… I remember another Great Sage who also defied me. Yes… the one from Hamelin. You remember what became of him, do you not?"

"I remember… and that is why I will not surrender! Break my heart if you wish, but I will not give in to your demands!"

"Oh… but it is not _your_ heart I plan to break…" Shadar looked over, and cast his spell…

…striking Esther in the chest; the young girl had been standing close behind her father, her harp in her grasp as if preparing to aid him.

"ESTHER!" Rashaad gasped, watching as a light was pried out of her chest.

"So much courage from a girl this young… Let us see how well she does without it!" Shadar said, before looking back at Rashaad. "…And if you continue your defiance, her suffering shall continue! Keep my words in mind, Rashaad…" With that, the Dark Djinn vanished.

"F-Father…?" Esther gasped, holding her chest; she was trembling. "What… what happened to me?!"

"Esther, my child!" Rashaad cried, falling on his knees and hugging his daughter. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"Father… I'm scared… W-What are we going to do?!"

Rashaad wiped his eyes, standing up. He sighed, looking down at Esther, seeing the fear in her eyes. "We are going to go home…"

"You're not going to go after Shadar?!" one of the guards asked. "You should curse him for what he's done!"

"Yes, if it were my daughter, I would be hunting him down-" another guard added.

"Enough! …It was because of my defiance that my daughter suffers from heartbreak now…" Rashaad snapped, wincing. "I have failed her… I have failed everyone… I will not repeat this mistake! I will never again use magic."

The boy watched as the Great Sage walked home, ignoring the guards who urged him not to surrender; Esther- terrified of all things around her- followed close, arms wrapped around her shaking shoulders.

The boy copied her actions, walking over to a narrow stairwell, deciding to rest there as night was falling; he hoped Shadar would not return to the city anytime soon.

He had already seen the demon enough in his lifetime…


	4. By a Twist of Fate

"BEAT IT, YA LOUSY BUM!"

*Clang! Clank!*

Swaine dodged a pot and a tin cup that were thrown at him by the angry merchant; they had reached the edge of the Golden Grove when the man had decided to stop and check his supplies, while his ulk got a drink from the spring. However, amongst his cargo he found a sleeping thief… and a few apple-cores, bread-crumbs, and an empty water-jug surrounding him.

"Geez, can't a guy hitch a ride anymore?!" Swaine snapped as he sprinted across the field, running until he could no longer hear the merchant cussing at him. He had reached the edge of the desert.

It was late in the day; judging from the position of the sun, he figured it was past noon, as it was beginning to drift beyond the top of Old Smokey. The desert was blazing hot, and he looked around for the location of the oasis.

He spotted it downhill, near Al-Mamoon… set dead-center of the hottest part of the Summerlands.

Taking of his jacket and hanging it over his head, he began his trek across the Shimmering Sands. It would be at least 3 hours until he reached the city- and that's if he were lucky enough to avoid any creatures along the way.

No such luck. The moment he reached the other side of the first dune, a Green Buncher and Turbandit spotted him; itching for a fight, the two creatures ran at him.

"Bloody hell…" Swaine groaned, quickly pulling out his gun and firing at the Turbandit; he summoned his familiar, Gunther, to take on the Green Buncher.

The fight lasted a good ten minutes, spent mostly from the thief dodging flame-attacks from the Turbandit, while his Hurly swapped punches with the Buncher. The brawl would have been over with moments ago, if Gunther hadn't been hesitating on Swaine's commands.

Luck on his side, the two creatures went down; Swaine summoned Gunther back, his familiar running low on stamina. _Next time, don't hold back…_ Swaine thought, referring to the familiar as if it could hear his thoughts from inside his heart.

Then again, he wasn't surprised at his familiar's behavior. He didn't exactly 'form' a familiar from his heart, as most people did; the only reason he managed to gain Gunther was because the Hurly had been found by the thief in a wounded state; after calming it with a bit of chocolate he happened to have on him, the Hurly became his companion- though Swaine could sense a bit of reluctance from it, as if the creature was only joining him for its own sake.

He thought about the time Marcassin formed his own familiar- a Relixx named Joules. His little brother offered to form one for the thief as well… but the stubborn prince had refused, claiming he would get a familiar his own way.

Well… he managed that. The millite was a bit stubborn at times, but at least he helped the thief defend himself.

Speaking of Marcassin…

He had to focus on his task at-hand; maybe one of his 'sources' could help him find a way to Hamelin. There was a guard he knew who would lend him information, for a price- sometimes guilders, sometimes weapons, sometimes information in return.

Information was one thing he was good at 'selling', having heard a lot of things while living on the streets; one fact he kept in mind was about Grace- the daughter of a Black Market merchant William Abel, who was sent to live with relatives for protection. That kind of information he kept to himself- in case he needed to get anything from the Black Market… without having to overpay. Not that he would threaten the man's daughter- he would just share what he knew and persuade him to make a bargain.

That is, if he ever got to Hamelin…

There was a growl just then, and he looked over, seeing a pair of Bone Heads coming at him.

Groaning, he whipped out his gun and ducked behind a rock, firing at the skeletal fiends. Once he felt that his familiar had full stamina, he sent Gunther into the fight, defeating one Bone Head and attacking the other.

The thief looked ahead while his familiar finished off their opponent; it looked like quite a few creatures were lurking around the desert. Unless he was stealthy enough, he would be encountering quite a few fights.

He felt a bit of pain, noticing that Gunther was starting to lose the upper-hand. He fired at the Bone Head, defeating it with a couple shots, and quickly summoned his familiar back before the poor thing could pass out.

Just as he finished the battle, there came a roar, and he saw a Clubber Cub coming at him. Not wanting to waste any more energy, he turned to run away… only to find his path blocked by a Floret.

"This just isn't my day…" Swaine sighed, cocking his gun and leaping into another fight.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Lightning flashed around the dark castle, as he ran down the halls; the domain was filled with numerous corridors, and he found himself in a dead-end multiple times, barely escaping the vicious creatures that infested the halls._

 _He ran up stairs… or down them, as the view twisted so that he was suddenly upside-down; running up another set, the hall slanted, and he crawled on the floor, worried that he would slide across the floor and fall over the railing._

 _He found himself running down a dark hallway, lit up only by pale moonlight. He was shaking; what was this hellish place that filled him with fear?_

 _Then came laughter… dark and maniacal… he heard the beating of a heart- but not his own… drawing closer… and closer… until…_

The beggar gasped, snapping awake from the nightmare. He lied his hand on his chest, feeling his heart racing, and felt sweat dripping from his forehead. He drew in a deep breath, slowly letting it out as he realized he was still in Al-Mamoon.

Apparently he fell asleep while begging for guilders, finding it to be late in the afternoon. This didn't surprise him- he barely slept a wink last night after Shadar's 'visit', and since then only had nightmares of the Dark Djinn during his slumber.

He checked his cup- it was as empty as a Bone Head's skull, nothing inside except some sand that occasionally blew across the streets. He looked around at the bazaar- he was sitting in a corner near some residential buildings, close enough to some crowds but far enough so that merchants couldn't chase him off… yet no one felt the need to donate a single guilder.

Sighing, he decided to leave the city. He hadn't found what he was looking for, anyway.

As he walked down the street, he looked over at a small tent; the local babana-merchant, who was more than ready for retirement, was selling his business to Rashaad. Esther stood by, numb to the world as her father made the exchange.

The boy walked over to Esther. Perhaps he could cheer her up a little before he left; tapping on her shoulder, this idea was dismissed as she only yelped and quickly ran to her father's side. "Esther, what is it?" Rashaad asked in concern.

"T-That boy s-startled me…" Esther repeated, pointing at the beggar. "Who are you…?"

The boy's shoulders slumped. Didn't she remember him?

"Leave us be, child. We have nothing to give you!" Rashaad snapped, shooing the boy away. This surprised the little beggar- the Great Sage had been so kind just the other day… It was as if Shadar's act not only affected Esther's heart, but her father's heart as well.

Sighing, he walked on to the gate of the city; it was already reaching dusk, meaning he would have to find a way out of town soon so he wouldn't have to trek across the desert at night.

Seeing a covered wagon heading for the entrance, he ran over and climbed onto the back of it, slipping underneath the tarp. The back of it was empty, save for a folded tent and some food rations. The travelers were probably just passing through.

He lied on his back, shutting his eyes, listening to the creaking of wooden wheels as the cart rocked gently through the sandy path that stretched ahead of it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Swaine opened his eyes, looking up at the green palm-trees that gently swayed in the warm breeze of the desert.

He had gone through two more fights before reaching the oasis, leaping into the bushes to hide from some creatures that were chasing him. Out of energy from all the brawling, he ended up passing out the moment he knew he was safe.

Apparently he was out longer than it seemed, as the sun had already sunk in the horizon, casting the sky into a blend of dark-blue and purple in the west. Either that or all those fights lasted a lot longer than he realized.

Standing up and ignoring the aches from his body, he walked over to the cooling pond, splashing water on his face while cupping some in his hands to drink. He then grabbed his knapsack, rummaging through it; he managed to swipe a couple items during his fights- mainly some babanas and some coffee. How these creatures managed to obtain such items he did not know- perhaps they were thieves like him.

Ouch.

He sighed; the babanas weren't exactly filling (despite being the most delicious thing Al-Mamoon could offer), and the coffee would require hot-water to mix it with, which also required a pot… as well as a mug to drink out of…

Well, beggars can't be choosers. Peeling a babana, he ate what he had; maybe he could sell the coffee at the local Hootique…if the shop-owner didn't recognize him from his theft-attempt last time he was in the city. He was lucky to be swift enough not to get caught and lose his hands.

There came a rustling sound from the bushes, and the thief ducked behind a tree. Coming down a path was a pair of merchants. "Are you sure it is alright to leave the cart back there, my dear?" the woman of the couple asked. "I've heard the creatures in this desert are restless,"

"They do not wander close to the oasis; in this area, they are used to the heat- anything cool keeps them at bay." Her husband answered. "We just need to gather some water for our trip to Golden Grove; once we have gathered supplies there, we can begin our dream of building our own shop…"

 _Unguarded cart, huh? These two must be new at travelling…_ Swaine thought. Keeping low, he crept through the foliage; the couple was still talking and filling up jugs of water- from what he estimated, he would only have five minutes to find the cart, grab some supplies, and make himself scarce from the scene before the pair returned.

He saw the cart up ahead, the ulk pulling it was tied to the trunk of the tree, grazing on some tall grass; he casually walked to the other side of it, the tame creature continuing its meal with indifference.

Swaine checked the front of the cart to see if the travelers kept any small bags on the seat. Seeing a satchel, he quickly snagged it; nothing else was in the seat, so he went around back to the cart, covered with tarp. He climbed up to peek inside, hanging on to the back…

*Ka-chunk!*

"Uaahh!" Swaine cried, falling back and hitting the sand. He looked, seeing that the latch wasn't locked in place, causing the back of the cart to tip over.

The startled ulk let out a grunt of alarm, and began to yank madly on its reigns- had it not been tied to a tree, the creature would have taken off for the hills- and it bucked and stomped, kicking sand everywhere and kicking the cart a couple times, making a huge racket!

"Who is there?!" came a shout, and he noticed the couple were coming back!

Cursing under his breath, the thief ran into the bushes, keeping low as he made his way to the other side of the oasis. One thing he learned as a thief was that you never looked back while running- only to make sure your pursuers were no longer behind you once you found some cover.

Once he was at a safe distance, he ducked behind a tree and peeked out; apparently the travelers believed some creature wandered nearby and scared their ulk. The wife of the couple said something about her satchel missing, thinking the creature might have been the thieving Adamantiger that had a bounty on its head. They went on their way.

Sighing with relief, Swaine looked through the satchel, finding nothing but five guilders and a half-eaten sandwich. Grimacing, he tossed the remains of the sandwich into the bushes and pocketed the guilders; maybe he could trade the satchel for something.

Standing back up, he turned to make his way into the city…

That's when he spotted the glow.

 _What in the world…?_ He wondered, seeing a tiny light coming from the bushes up ahead. It didn't look like the light of a lantern- perhaps it was something valuable. Lost treasures had a way of reflecting a glimmer in order to be found again.

Unable to resist, he ran over to it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The beggar had been awakened by the ruckus outside the cart; as the ulk was snorting and bucking, he quickly climbed out and ran behind a tree, in case the cart was being attacked by bandits of some sort. The merchants who owned the cart raced over and calmed their ulk, while looking to see if anything was stolen- just a satchel, by the looks of it.

They then climbed onto their cart to head out, before any marauders could strike again. The boy prepared to run and jump onto the back of the cart once more…

Until he felt something warm on his head. He looked ahead at the travelers for a moment, before ducking into some bushes; he then took the stone out of his hat…

Finding it was glowing- a bit dim, but still glowing!

Heart racing, he walked in the direction the travelers had gone, only for the light to dim; he walked to the left, then to the right, getting the same results. When he turned and began walking in the other direction, the light proceeded to brighten.

Using the glow as a compass, he walked through the foliage, only stopping when the light had grown so bright it nearly blinded him… yet even when he wasn't moving the glow increased.

The light was so bright he didn't notice someone was in front of him…

Until a hand shot out and grabbed the stone!

"Thanks for the gem, kid!" called a voice, and the boy watched as a tall man with messy hair, wearing a long green coat, ran out of the oasis and across the desert.

The young beggar stood there, a bit dumbstruck at what had happened, watching as the thief ran on… the rock still glowing in his hand.

While anyone else would scowl with rage, the boy only smiled and took off after the man.


	5. Salem, the Guard Familiar!

Swaine continued to run until he reached the mountain-range that separated the desert from the coast. To the east was a pass that would lead him to Castaway Cove. He had only been to the sea-side village once, when he first set foot on foreign land at age 13- no one would recognize him, and he had doubts that his history of thefts was critical enough to earn him his own bounty that would be posted at every Swift Solutions all over the Summerlands.

He ducked down behind a rock, avoiding being spotted by any wandering creatures; he was already low on energy enough as it was- still sore from the battles he faced that day, and worn out from running so far.

True, he could have ran and hid somewhere in Al-Mamoon, but chances were that kid would have run to the guards- unless it was the one who would give him information, he would have been facing their severe penalty. It was better to go somewhere and lay low for a couple days, just until the heat died down.

He sat down in the sand, looking at his current heist. It had been glowing bright before… but the light seemed to have dimmed a bit. Looking closer, he realized it wasn't really a gem- just a rock that glowed. As rare as that was, he had doubts it would be worth a jackpot.

Thinking about it, he assumed that the boy was using it as some sort of lantern, probably to cope with a touch of nyctophobia; he seemed to be all alone, or perhaps looking for something he had lost by the oasis… and the thief ended up stealing his little night-light.

 _How low have I sunk…?_ Swaine thought with a twinge of regret. He shook his head. _Nahh… the kid should have known better than to wander around outside a city at night. This'll help him build character- teach him he needs to be more careful when out in the…_

There came a growl just then, and Swaine gasped, seeing that two Green Bunchers coming at him. "Ah…. Great." He muttered, quickly running around the other side of the rock in order to ditch them…

Only to bump into what seemed to be a Clubber Cub… but with a steel-coating. An Adamantiger?! Clear out here?!

Before Swaine could question how a foreign creature ended up this far from its habitat, the Adamantiger rushed at him. With quick claws, it smacked the rock out of his hand. He turned to run, feeling the creature scratch the hem of his already-worn jacket… and he ended up blocked by the two Green Bunchers.

Swaine drew his gun and summoned Gunther; though both of them were in a weakened state, he knew he couldn't escape easily from this fight.

Everything was a blur; he was firing at the Adamantiger while Gunther was hurling rocks at the Bunchers… but the enemy had the upper hand; he felt his familiar get bunched back-and-forth between the two Bunchers, while the Adamantiger slashed at him with its claws.

He summoned back Gunther before his familiar could pass out, even though he was nearly there himself. He backed away from the three fiends, gun pointed at them, though with so much energy drained he could barely focus…

"Meow!"

*Poof!*

Swaine blinked, seeing that one of the Green Bunchers disappeared… and in its place stood a Purrloiner! Strange… those creatures normally hung out around Castaway Cove. What was it doing all the way out here?

The sword-bearing feline then attacked the next Buncher, slicing-and-dicing it as fast as lightening, until the massive babana-built being hit the sand. But the Adamantiger proved to be a greater challenge; Purrloiners were still First Stagers, and the Adamantiger seemed too advanced for it to take on, as it pounced on its new opponent and clawed at it.

Swaine took aim and fired…

*Bang!*

…putting the Adamantiger to sleep with a Nap Shot. The Purrloiner went to attack it, but Swaine got in its way. "No- you'll just wake it up. Run before it wakes up!" he told it.

"Meow," the Purrloiner seemed to reply… then shrank down in a ball of light, disappearing around the rock…

Out stepped the boy from earlier.

Getting a second glance, Swaine noticed he was wearing ragged clothing, some of it stitched together; his hair was long, his bangs covering half his face; and he was scrawny, as if he hadn't had a good meal in weeks. Even a complete fool could tell this kid lived on the streets.

Swaine rubbed the back of his neck. He stole from this kid… yet he assisted the thief in battle. Clearing his throat, he nodded over. "Your rock is over there. You can have it back," he told him, then began walking away. "Better get out of here before that beast wakes up,"

He walked for a good ten paces… then broke into a sprint, heading through the pass to Castaway Cove.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The little beggar watched the thief run. He looked down at the rock, whose light had gone out. Of course, this meant that he had found what he was looking for…

He went in the direction the man was heading. The rock glowed once more, as if sensing that the boy needed to find him again. This brought relief to him- if he ever lost track of the man, he still had a way to track him down again.

There were a couple growls in the distance; the boy stuffed the rock underneath his hat again, shielding the glow from the wandering eyes of any creatures, not wanting to draw attention to himself and get in another scuffle.

Plus, the man hadn't gone far, and the boy had a feeling on where he was heading.

They would meet again.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

He spent most of the night sneaking through the trees, staying hidden in the foliage and keeping quiet. It was simple to do- his mother had taught him how to be stealthy out in the wilderness… as it's where they had to live his whole life.

He vaguely remembered living in town… they left when he was three, travelling to a nearby village and remaining there- only going to town when they needed certain supplies; it was difficult to adapt to living in huts built from mud and branches, having only a few civilized things (such as blankets, clothes, and pots) to use.

His mother would talk to travelers who passed by, asking if they had any books or special ward-badges, ending up disappointed when said travelers could not lend any; she wanted to teach her son all about the world, and have plenty of protection for both of them when they would begin travelling. She wanted to travel the world- telling him stories about all the places she wanted to see, and how they would visit them all once he was old enough.

" _The world is a dangerous place… as soon as you've reached two digits in your age, we shall be able to travel,"_ she had promised him when he was eight. _"You will have to improve your strength and wits in order to survive,"_

Her words rang true the first day he had to travel alone… Thank goodness he had his familiar, Salem, to help him. Otherwise, he would have been worthless in that fight.

He had to prove his worth to that man. It was easy to see he lived on the streets- why else would he stoop so low in stealing from a child? The little beggar was a little upset… but also happy because he had found who he was looking for. Plus, the thief had given him back the rock- whether it's because the man found it to be useless, or as a 'thank you' to the boy for helping him out.

It didn't matter. What mattered now was that he had to find him again.

His rock glowed beneath his hat; he took it off, peeking inside and watching as it grew bright when he pointed it in one direction.

Just as he thought, the thief was heading to that small village along the coast.

The boy began to head down the path… but a snorting sound erupted behind him. He turned, seeing a Hog-Goblin coming at him, with a rival Purrloiner beside it; they must have been hiding in the bushes, waiting for someone to pass by!

Sighing, the boy summoned Salem. While his familiar attacked the rival Purrloiner, the boy went up against the Hog-Goblin; he twisted his cap so that the rock not only remained secure and out of sight, but also so that he could use it to fight with. He swung it, smacking the rogue creature in the snout… but it only made it angry. The boy smacked it again, this time hitting its eye, before running back a ways so to be a farther target. He looked over at Salem, who seemed to be doing well.

*Thwack!*

The boy gasped in pain, as the Hog-Goblin smacked his head with its spear; it began to jab at him, the boy twisting his body to avoid so, while turning to run, but the creature swung its spear again and knocked his legs out from beneath him, making him land face-first on the ground.

He turned on his back, swinging his cap… but left no damage, as the fabric was flimsy now. He looked inside it… finding there was a hole!

He didn't have time to look, as the Hog-Goblin leaped onto his chest, keeping him pinned down. It then raised its spear above his head…!

"Reowr!"

A thin blade slashed through the air, striking the beast. Salem had won his side of the fight, and rushed to help his companion. It stood over the little beggar, slashing at the Hob-Goblin; the boy gave it the command to use 'Slice 'n' Dice', which wounded the foe a great deal.

But it wasn't down yet. The Hog-Goblin cast a bright light, practically blinding them; in the late night/early morning setting, it could probably be seen for miles, and having been used to seeing his way through the dark all night, the flash would have blinded the boy, had his familiar not been standing in front of him.

He had to summon back Salem- the cat, though quite the fighter, was running low on stamina, and that bright flash harmed his eyes. The Hog-Goblin then ran at the boy, spear raised and ready to finish the fight…

The boy quickly grabbed a rock lying nearby, chucking it at the beast as hard as he could, hitting it right on the head.

The creature stumbled, a bit dizzy… then fell to the ground, disappearing in a puff of smoke. It left behind a Confusion-Be-Gone, which the boy picked up- he could trade the item for some guilders to eat with, if he didn't have to use it on the rest of his trek.

He then looked around the ground for his missing stone, seeing it nowhere in sight; he remembered the directions for its use- it would only glow if he held it, continuing to do so until he either found what he was looking for, or if he perished. When out of his grasp, the light would slowly fade out until it looked like a humble stone- and with all the stones that could be found lying about, it would take a while to find out where it landed, until the sun came up and he could find it by its shape.

He began to panic, seeing no sign of a dim glow- surely it didn't dim out already! What if another creature picked it up while he was caught in the fight? It would take days to find the scandal!

Worst, yet, what if the man had gone to the village to board a ship? Suppose he left that morning?! The boy had some dumb-luck just by finding him by coincidence on a large continent- searching for him out at sea, not knowing where he was sailing to in the vast world beyond the coast… he wouldn't make it on his own out there!

He was surprised he managed to last this long…

He shook his head. No time for negative thoughts!

He kept searching around the area where he was attacked, back-tracking until he noticed a tiny glow coming from a puddle of water. He sighed with relief, picking up the rock, watching as it grew bright once more. He took off his hat, looking at the hole in it. He sighed, putting it back on his head, and- despite it would make walking a lot more difficult- put the rock in his boot.

Limping along, he headed straight for the village. He summoned Salem to keep guard in case any more monsters tried to pick a fight.

Hopefully, soon, he would not have to travel alone any longer.


	6. Castaway Cove

Early dawn was making its peak, a tinge of orange being seen on the sea's horizon, when Swaine reached the village. He stretched his back, exhausted from his trek last night. He didn't get any sleep, having to stay alert and avoid the creatures in the area until he could find a safe-point to rest. Hopefully the hotel prices were dirt-cheap, otherwise he would be on another swiping-spree just to 'earn' some much-needed sleep.

Once he entered the village, he looked around, noticing something queer about the locals…

They were all wearing swimsuits.

Swimsuits… during a cold, morning-dawn?!

He understood that Castaway Cove was known for its seaside location, and heard rumors that it made a great vacation spot… but wearing swimsuits at a time when cold air mixed with the misty-breeze of the sea? Either the locals liked to start their day with a swim, or the town had gone daffy!

 _What's going on? Everyone was fully-clothed the last time I came here…_ The thief thought to himself; he shook his head. _Never mind it now. I need to head to the Inn._

As he walked through the town, he let his mind wander back a ways. He first came here when he was 13, after hitching a ride on a ship from Hamelin. During that time, there was a lot of conflict on the docks; sailors from different lands and crews were picking fights, often verbal… mostly physical. The little village was filled with such controversy that the teen at the time didn't stay more than a night, figuring introducing a weapon to the fighting sailors would only make matters worse- perhaps even get him in trouble for 'provoking' violence.

But now… everything was peaceful.

He entered the Cat's Cradle, receiving the usual greeting every purrprioter gave. "You look quite weary, traveler. I take it you had a long journey?" the grimalkin guessed.

"A lifetime's worth," Swaine answered, his words coming out as a joke despite the ring of truth.

The purrprioter chuckled. "Well, a night's stay is 100g, if you would like to purrchase a room,"

 _A hundred guilders, huh?_ Swaine pondered; perhaps he could find something to swipe and trade.

"…Of course, you will have to meet the village regulations before you decide to stay,"

He gave her a curious look. "Huh? What regulations?"

"Well, all travelers who come to Castaway Cove are required to wear swimsuits, by order of the governor."

 _A swimsuit?!_

"(That explains a lot…) Why did the governor make such a law?" Swaine asked. "He's not going crazy, is he?"

Again, the purrprioter chuckled. "No. Quite the opposite- he made the law to keep visiting sailors from fighting. Not only is it difficult to conceal a weapon in such attire… but it is also hard to argue while wearing a swimsuit."

This did make sense, the thief agreed. The moment two bickering sailors put on a pair of swim-trunks, the sheer silliness of the situation would distract them from their conflicts- perhaps leaving them to wonder what gave the governor such an idea to make everyone wear half-dressed garments.

"Well, I don't plan on staying in town long…" Swaine began, trying to persuade the grimalkin into letting him avoid such a rule.

"I'm sorry, but the law applies. Even if you're here for an hour, you must change," The purrprioter looked him over, noticing the small knapsack hanging over his shoulder. "Though, I suppose you do not carry one, do you?"

"Got it in one." He shrugged, casually turning away. "Oh well, I suppose I'll have to find another place to stay. Such a shame- this Inn looks far more comfortable than the other ones I've seen…"

"Wait!" The grimalkin called. "We keep spare swimsuits in our back room. Many travelers come by without one. As one who wishes to make sure her guests are well-pampurred, I make plenty of prepurrations to make sure all visitors are able to enjoy themselves during their stay,"

Swaine grinned- though it was mostly because she bought his smug act. A lot of inn-keepers hated to turn down a potential customer. "Alright, let's have a look," he stated.

She lead him to a back-room, where all different kinds of trunks, sashes, bikinis, cover-skirts, and sandals were sorted on shelves. "Find one that you like; they are free of charge, so no need to worry about finding a cheap one, just one to suit your style!"

"A free swimsuit, huh? Almost sounds too good a deal…"

"Hee hee, you are not the first to say so; the only purrice it costs is that you do your part to keep our village peaceful," With that, the grimalkin left him to get changed.

Swaine unleashed a heavy sigh. If he had known he would have to change into swimwear, he'd have stayed in Al-Mamoon. He could have just turned around and went back to Al-Mamoon… but he was too tired, had no supplies, and- if he was going to survive another fight with a vicious creature- would have to make some adjustments to his pistol before he set out again.

Thinking about his gun, he wondered what he should do with it. If he was caught carrying a weapon, chances are he'd probably be thrown out of town- or face a few years in jail. He looked around at the swimsuits…

And he found the perfect option. Grabbing a pair of long swim-trunks, an orange short-sleeved cover-jacket, and a yellow sash, he changed out of his worn-out clothes; using the sash, he tied his pistol at his hip, the jacket long enough to keep it well-hidden. He walked around a little to make sure it wouldn't be seen when he moved about.

As he made sure his firearm was completely concealed, he noticed his abdomen. It had been a few weeks since he got a good look at it. His skin had grown pale over the years, from his life sticking to the shadows; he had a new bruise or scrape from his recent battles yesterday; an old scar was still fading from a scuffle he got out of a few months ago; and his ribcage was practically visible.

 _Maybe I should grab something else to wear…_ The thief thought to himself. One look at his malnourished figure, and the innkeeper would know he couldn't afford a night's stay, and get suspicious on why a destitute traveler was looking to stay at a hotel.

As he looked around, he noticed just how many swimsuits there were… Surely the innkeeper didn't expect him to just pick one, did she? He'd need another to change into when his current one needed washing…

Seconds later, he was filling his knapsack with several swimsuits- perhaps in the future the innkeeper would be wise enough not to leave a stranger alone in her back-room. Looking around, he noticed there was more than just swimwear- objects past-visitors had left behind were also shelved, mostly little toys and forgotten laundry. There were also Tonics stacked on a shelf, perhaps for patrons who were in need of medical aid…

Well, he sure needed medical aid more often than not! He threw a few into his knapsack… when he noticed it was already full.

 _Damn. Did anyone leave behind a bottomless bag?_ Swaine wondered, looking around. Maybe he can make a second-trip, once he pawned some of this stuff off to afford a night's stay.

He stuck his head out. The purrprioter was behind her desk, talking with another traveler- a man with an oversized backpack, wearing a rimmed hat, glasses, and carrying a journal of sorts. He seemed to be going on about different creatures in the area.

While the grimalkin was distracted, Swaine slipped out of the back-room. He hid behind a curtain hanging over a doorway, snuck behind a plant, and ducked behind a lounge chair. Once her back was turned, he bolted out the door.

His getaway would have been a clean one… had he not stuffed so much into the bag. Having been so distracted by all he could snatch, he didn't notice a tear in the bottom of the sack, which had expanded after it began to bulge.

The moment he was three paces away from the inn, one of the tonics he swiped fell from his bag with a *clink!* rolling down the deck… followed by several pieces of clothes.

"Hey, you! Stop!" One of the early-morning locals hollered.

"Dammit…!" Swaine quietly cursed, then took off in a sprint out of instinct, leaving a trail of tonics, swimsuits, and other items he snagged in his wake.

He ran out of the town and hid in some foliage. Looking behind him, he didn't see anyone in pursuit- perhaps because it was still so early in the morning not much of a commotion was stirred. As peaceful as the town seemed, the whole incident would probably be dismissed as some passerby who was running late and didn't notice he lost some luggage. If he were lucky, that is…

Sighing, he looked into his knapsack, seeing the hole; the only things that didn't fall out was one bottle of tonic, two swimsuits, and a little Toko plush-toy. _Why did I nab all this lousy junk again?_ He questioned himself. Sure, he had an idea of pawning it off… but now that he thought about it, a couple clothes and a toy wouldn't exactly be enough to get him a room at an Inn. Hell, it wouldn't be enough to get him a sandwich!

It would be a while before he could go back into the village. He could try back at night, maybe sneak into a room at the Inn- and if questions were asked, he'd tell the purrprioter that he checked in that morning, but she was so wrapped in a conversation with another patron that she must have forgotten to ask him to sign in.

In the meantime, he had to find a new place to rest.

Looking around the clearing, he figured it was a nice spot to dose off in, until he managed to get to a bed. It wasn't the first time he had to sleep out in the wilderness- he just had to find a place that wasn't crawling with creatures. Often such locations were near towns; otherwise he'd have to sleep in a tree or in a cave. Most times, he would have to take short naps during treks, waking up at the slightest sound and taking off before any creatures could ambush him.

He looked around the clearing, straining his ears to pick up any sounds of disturbance; one thing he was skilled in was focusing his hearing, which came in handy whenever he had to get the dirt on someone, or find out what was going in certain regions… mostly Hamelin.

Thinking about his hometown, he looked out at the small village, seeing the boat-docks. He really had to find a way to get home… Perhaps he could work on-board and get a free-ride. The sea was crawling with monsters- it would be a good opportunity to show off his gunslinging skills, perhaps even snatch a few things off the attacking creatures…

Then again, if the sailors heard he was a thief, they wouldn't let him set foot on-board- unless he made the bargain to dig up some information for them, or swipe something they needed.

Stowing away was out of the question, after remembering his last [failed] attempt. He had to make sure the ship was heading to and only to Hamelin. No detours whatsoever.

 _I'll find a way back. I always find a way._ Swaine told himself. He had to smirk, imagining a funny idea- what if Marcassin ended up sailing in, perhaps in order to settle some sort of business with another kingdom, and they happened to run into each other? Chances are, he would take one look at his older brother and demand he come home immediately…

His smile faded, picturing the conversation. _"You became a thief? Why? How?!"_ Marcassin would question, aghast.

" _Hey, it's tough out in the real-world. When no one gives you a job, you have to take matters into your own hands to survive."_ Swaine would respond, keeping his tone cool.

" _Gaston, you should have come home if you needed help-"_ Marcassin would scold. He took after their mother in a sense when it came to that.

" _I tried to get home, the moment I heard Hamelin was having problems! But every ship I got on ended up kicking me off! …Besides, there would be no honor in returning home, just because I ended up short on guilders- it would be like stating I failed at bringing something to the empire!"_ He would retort.

" _Coming home with nothing would be better than becoming a thief…"_ His little brother would respond, disappointment on his face.

Swaine unleashed a heavy sigh. He had to go home and help his brother… but on the other hand, how could he help by bringing his reputation along?

If he were ever to go home, he would have to keep his identity a secret from everyone, including his brother. He could work on the sidelines, get the word on what the problem is and fix it, and remain discrete. Then once the problems were solved, he'd go back to finding his own place in the world, once he was sure his brother and the kingdom would be alright.

He always did worry about home. Ever since he received news that his father died at the hands of Shadar…

 _*rustle rustle*_

"What the…?" Swaine gasped, turning around. Something was coming through the bushes. What kind of creature would sneak this close to town? It must be a rogue animal, he figured, and with that thought in mind he drew his pistol, ready to fire if he had to.

Once it came out of the bushes, he squeezed the trigger-

There was a gasp-

He stopped himself, flinching when he saw what it was.

Had he not been careful, he would have ended up shooting a little boy.


	7. Of Requests and Blackmail

The little beggar gasped when he saw the gun aimed at him, and raised his hands in the air in order to show he was not a threat. Thankfully, the man before him stopped.

"Bloody hell, kid…!" The man cursed under his breath, sticking the gun back in his sash. For some reason, he was wearing a swimsuit. "Don't you know better than to sneak up on some stranger?!"

The boy bit his lip, cringing.

The man just sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind… What are you doing clear out here at this hour? Where's your mum? She must be worried sick about you!"

The little beggar winced, then pointed upward.

"Huh?" The man looked up, a bit confused. Once the message registered, his shoulders slumped. "Oh… I'm sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling awkward. "(that explains why he's wandering about…) *ahem* So… what brings you here? Looking for a new home?"

The boy gave a small smile and he nodded… and pointed at the man.

The man looked over his shoulder, at the village. "Yeah, the village does look like a nice place to live… That is, if you don't mind wearing a swimsuit all the time," he looked down at his knapsack, which appeared to be torn. He rummaged through it, and pulled out a pair of swim-trunks, tossing them to the boy; they were a tad large, so he grabbed another swimsuit and ripped it apart, making a hand-made sash the boy could tie around his waist to keep it up. "Here, once you get into town you'll have something to change into."

The beggar looked at the swimsuit, then nodded, heading into the town. He stopped, seeing a small Toko plush-toy lying on the ground.

The man shrugged. "You might as well take that too. It's not exactly worth much to me," he stated, handing the toy to the lad. He then waved him forth. "Go on, now. I'm sure someone will take you in,"

The boy looked to the ground, a bit downhearted. Nevertheless, he went into the village; perhaps he could earn a few guilders for food, and come back- provided the man didn't leave again.

Once there, he walked around until he found a place to change, walking into the Inn and using the back-room; for some reason, the purrprioter claimed she was going to wait by the door until he was done.

Once changed, he walked out in his swimsuit, being a pair of blue swimtrunks with an orange trim, the 'sash' being green. The purrprioter gave him a spare bag to keep his clothes in- which was perfect, as he also needed a place to keep his rock.

As he was stepping out, he heard sniffling, watching as a woman and her child entered. "Hello- I'm sorry to bother you, but we're trying to find something. My daughter and I checked out yesterday, but she left her favorite toy behind," the woman was stating. "She hasn't slept a wink without it,"

"Daddy gave it to me for my last birthday before he had to sail off," The little girl, much younger than the beggar himself, said while trying to control her sobs. "I need to find it!"

"Of course! It should be in the back-room… at least, I hope so," the purrprioter replied.

"You hope so?" the woman repeated, a bit uneasy.

"We had a bit of misfortune early this morning. Someone ended up stealing many items from the back-room; thankfully, he dropped most of it so it was returned, so perhaps your toy is still there,"

They entered the back-room. The beggar looked inside his own bag, pulling out the Toko doll. Did the man really stoop so low to steal a child's toy…?

There came sobbing, as it turned out the toy was not in the room. "It's gone! I can't believe it's gone…!" the little girl was bawling. Her mother tried to console her, the purrprioter offering to let her take home another toy, but nothing could cheer her up.

The beggar looked at the Toko doll… then walked over, tapping the girl on the shoulder. He held up the doll, pointing at it as if to ask, 'Is this yours?'

"My… my doll!" The girl exclaimed, grabbing it and hugging it tight. "Oh, I thought I'd never see it again!"

The woman smiled at the beggar. "Thank you so much! …Wait, you weren't the thief who stole it, were you?" she gasped.

The purrprioter huffed. "Of course not! The thief was much older and ragged-looking… and not as sweet as this young man," she replied, patting the boy on the head. She looked him over. "In fact… the criminal must have sold the boy the toy, as well as the swimsuit! Hmph. Probably thought he could make a quick guilder…" she pointed at the back-room. "Why, he even left his clothes behind!"

"Speaking of guilders…" The woman reached into her purse, and handed the boy 20 gold coins, as well as a cheeseburger! "Here, something to show my appreciation."

"Thank you so much!" The little girl exclaimed, giving the boy a hug and a peck on the cheek. She then ran off, laughing and giggling. The woman followed, chuckling at her daughter's newfound enthusiasm.

The boy turned and walked back to the back-room; he looked at the purrprioter, pointing inside. "Did you forget something?" she asked. He nodded. "Very well- but don't take any more toys, hee hee!"

He didn't.

Walking out, his bag bulging a little, he left the Inn. Walking around the docks, he explored the sea-side village a bit. The water was clear, the sun was warm, the ocean breeze was refreshing…

It was a nice place to stay…

But not quite what he had in mind.

Turning around, he headed back to the entrance of the village.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Swaine had dosed off a few minutes after the boy left. It wasn't easy, since he was just in a swimsuit and he had to use his torn knapsack as a pillow, but he managed.

He was in the middle of a dream about unlocking a chest that held one million guilders, when it switched to a nightmare about him being in a graveyard as a boy, having to bite an apple that caused him to black out…

It was instinct that caused him to wake up; he just sensed something was near him. Perhaps some Purrloiner that figured it could swipe something off him…

Opening his eyes, he noticed it was just the boy again. "You again…?" he mumbled, sitting up when he noticed the boy was just sitting beside him. How long had he been there? "What do you want?"

The boy opened up a bag… and pulled out a set of clothes.

Swaine's clothes!

The thief blinked in surprise, realizing he had left them back at the inn…

"What… you got my clothes back? How?" He questioned. The boy just shrugged, then continued to dig in the back… pulling out a cheeseburger and handing it to him. "Um… thanks… but why are you giving me this stuff?"

Again, the boy shrugged, then sat down by him.

Something was suspicious about this kid…

Swaine's stomach growled, as if telling him not to look a gift horse in the mouth and eat the damn cheeseburger. Shrugging himself, the thief ate the morsel. The boy himself grabbed a stick, tracing scribbles on the ground.

"So… any reason why you keep popping up?" the thief asked after finishing the cheeseburger. He thumbed at the village. "I figured you'd be living with someone in Castaway Cove by now; a ton of parents are always willing to take in orphans. Did you see anyone you wanted to stay with?"

The boy nodded eagerly… and pointed at the thief.

Swaine gave a jolt. "Wait… you want to say with ME?!" He shook his head. This kid couldn't be serious! Couldn't he tell he was a thief?! Hell, he stole from the lad, for crying out loud! "W-Why?!"

The boy rubbed his arm, as if wondering how to explain it.

"D-Don't beat it around the bush. Just tell me the reason why. …Say something!"

The boy mouthed a few words… but had no voice. Had his lips enunciated better, Swaine could have made out the sentence.

"Can't you speak?"

The boy shook his head sadly.

"Mute, huh? …Well… can you write it out?"

The boy shook his head again.

"You can't spell either… well, this is going to be difficult." The thief stood up, pacing around, looking at the boy every few seconds. This was confusing- the boy barely knew him, yet he wanted to live with him?

The boy sat on the ground, watching him pace around, patiently waiting for his answer.

Swaine sighed. "Look, kid, I hate to break it to you but… You can't stay with me. I don't have a place to live, I can't afford to feed you- let alone myself… You'll have to find another option. I can't take care of you-"

The boy then waved his hand, reaching into his backpack… and pulling out a handful of guilders! He pointed to himself, and gave a thumbs up, as if assuring the man that he could provide for himself. He then summoned his familiar, the Purrloiner he used in battle last night, as if to further convince him.

"Look, I'm sure you can take care of yourself, but you still can't-" Swaine began, though paused.

The kid was giving him a pleading- no, a desperate look, as if the thief was the only other human-being left on earth. It didn't help that he had wide eyes, which were shimmering with tears on the brink of being unleashed.

 _Shit, not 'The Look'!_ Swaine thought. Normally kids used 'the look' in order to get something they wanted… if that were the case, he could ignore it. But this kid was using it with raw emotion, as if he would become heartbroken if the man refused.

"Stop looking at me like that!" The thief snapped, crossing his arms and turning away. "You have to face-facts. I'm a thief- I can't take care of you! You'll have to find someone else…"

The boy looked at the ground for a moment… but then perked up, a sly grin on his face. He then pointed at the thief, then at his knapsack, then at the village. He then did a charades-bit; he put on Swaine's jacket, grabbed the knapsack, and pretended to sneak around; he then had his Purrloiner act like a guard, capturing him.

Swaine gawked. The kid was going to turn him in?! "You little brat! Are you seriously blackmailing me?!"

The child continued to smirk, giving a firm nod.

"Look… you really have to think about this! Do you really want to spend your life on the run with some criminal? You might get in trouble, too!"

The boy once again shrugged.

Swaine sighed heavily. This kid was dead-set on travelling with him. "Fine. Alright. We can try it out- but don't think I'm going to be someone you can mooch off of. If you're going to travel with me, you're going to have to fend for yourself; keep up with me, I don't want you slowing me down; and don't try to weasel your way out of anything if we get caught! …And if you give me those 'puppy-dog eyes' again for any reason, I'm ditching you. Do we understand each other?!"

He kept his tone firm, even a bit cold, in hopes that it would persuade the kid that travelling with a rugged thief was a bad idea. If he showed the boy his bad-side, maybe the child would call everything off and go find a nice couple to adopt him.

But, ever so stubborn, the kid only grinned and nodded, willing to go through with Swaine's regulations. The thief only groaned, face-palming, before sitting down against a tree. The kid sat down beside him.

 _This is going to be a migraine in itself…_ Swaine thought. He then looked at the kid. "So. You got a name?" he asked the boy.

The boy tried to reply… but again, no voice came out.

"Oh, right. You can't speak. …I guess a nickname will have to do until you find your voice, or something." The boy nodded, giving a shrug in agreement. The thief thought for a moment, his eyes drifting to the ground, as the morning sun began to rise, casting shade around them. "You seem to follow me around like a shadow… How does 'Shadow' sound?"

The boy beamed, giving a thumbs up.

Swaine nodded, then leaned back, wondering what he was going to do from this point on. _Of all things… why a kid?_ He questioned.


	8. Symbiosis

_They ran out of town, some people yelling and cursing them. "If you ever come back, I'll see to it the guards lock you up, you wretch…!" a man was shouting at his mother. He didn't know who he was, or how he knew them…_

 _He just knew his mother had been hiding him from such people._

 _The small room he had to live in for the last three years had been ransacked. His mother had dragged him out the window by the time the man and two others burst in; the woman who had been taking care of them tried to deny they were ever there, but the men pushed her aside._

 _They continued to run until they reached the safety of the forest, hiding in the shrubs, his mother whispering to him in a soothing voice when he began to sob. He felt scared._

 _Why were these men chasing them?_

" _Those men are mean…" his mother had told him once they found refuge, using words only he could understand at such a young age. "They want to hurt us because Mommy did something a long time ago that they didn't like. It's okay, honey… I'll make sure they won't hurt you… Daddy will beat them up once we tell him, too…"_

 _They had to wait a year before going into town again… but could never stay until they knew it was safe._

 _It never felt safe._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Hey, kid. Wake up."

The young beggar opened his eyes groggily. Once his vision cleared, he noticed it was still dark out, and the man- Swaine, as he introduced himself- was randomly stuffing things into the bag, like some sort of kleptomaniac.

"C'mon, Shadow- if you want to stick with me, you gotta be ready to move," Swaine told him, snapping his fingers in front of the child's face.

Shadow…

Oh yeah, his nickname. He was still getting used to it.

Nodding, he got up and followed Swaine out the window. They had been sneaking into vacant rooms of the Cat's Cradle late at night for the last two days; the thief had grabbed a few items from around the rooms, such as candle-sticks, small clocks, and anything else that could fit in the bag…

However, Shadow would take them back- ending up getting a reward for 'finding' some missing items. The first time it happened, Swaine got the idea for a set-up: he'd snag something, then Shadow could return it. However, he couldn't give him all the things back at once- if a pattern were noticed, people would catch on.

Tired but determined, Shadow followed Swaine down the docks and into the foliage. They had changed out of their swimsuits and into regular clothes the other day- as the thief was already getting sick of wearing his all-hours of the day, and the beggar's wasn't fitting right even with the sash. Swaine claimed it was easier to move about with his jacket, as it helped him blend in with the forest scene better.

They wandered into their sight, where a makeshift tent (made up of blankets and pillows the thief swiped the other night) hung up on sticks stood. It was nice to lounge under during the day, but unfortunately it didn't hold up against weather conditions. One downside to being near the coast was that the weather was more likely to get rainy and humid.

Swaine looked up at the sky. It looked a bit cloudy already. "Let's head to another town," he stated. "If we keep pawning things off here, everyone will get suspicious,"

Shadow nodded once more, packing up the makeshift tent and following the thief up the path.

A few creatures came their way. Thankfully, the battles didn't last as long as they used to, now that their foes had to deal with 2 familiars, plus Swaine's trick-shots. They also had a couple tonics to help with any injuries, and food to help keep their strength up.

They made it to the desert by the time the sun was rising. They casually entered Al-Mamoon, entering at different times- Shadow went in five minutes after Swaine, the thief telling him to hang around the market-place while he scoped the area.

Shadow walked by the babana stand. Esther was sticking by her father, hiding behind his chair so no one could see her, ducking deeper when she noticed the little beggar catch a glimpse of her troubled expression.

He kept walking. He wished someone could help her…

Looking over, he noticed Swaine standing behind one of the Milk Fountains near a curry-stand. He was whispering to a guard. "…nothing to share?" the thief had finished asking. "And you're sure about that…?"

"The only news I have to share is that our queen has made a habit out of eating cheese. Now get out of here- I can't be seen talking with the likes of you!" the guard hissed.

"Keep your hair on, I'm going! Just keep me posted," Swaine then walked over to the curry stand, casually striking up conversation with the merchant- namely about what kind of spices he uses- before making up some excuse that he was allergic to an ingredient and couldn't purchase any… though swiped a bowl when the merchant wasn't looking.

Shadow watched him go by, waiting a few seconds before following him. What kind of information did he want from that guard?

He didn't have time to think about it, as Swaine was nudging him. "Let's split up- I'll trade some stuff over in that shop, you trade at the other," he whispered, both of them ducking into a stairway to split the goods. Swaine took some candle-sticks, a blanket, and a pillow over to the Hootique; Shadow took an old knife someone left in a hotel drawer and an old wooden shield he got as a reward over to the Cawtermaster's.

Both of them met up in the stairway; Swaine managed to get 75g, some of which he used to buy iced coffee and more bread. Shadow made 200g, half of which he gave to Swaine. They decided to keep moving.

Once they got to the front of the city, they saw a traveler loading up a wagon; instead of sneaking on this time, Swaine asked if they could get a lift, offering 10g for a ride. "Very well. I am not travelling far," the traveler said, thumbing in the back. "The back is vacant- I am only going to the Golden Grove to find fresh produce,"

"Perfect," Swaine answered, climbing in the back, Shadow joining him.

As the cart moved, the thief struck up a casual conversation with the traveler; she was an older woman with graying auburn hair, who was going to be settling down and opening up a shop in Al-Mamoon. He gave the alibi that Shadow was his nephew, and they were on their way to meet with his brother in Hamelin.

"You wouldn't know a fast way there, would you?" Swaine asked the woman, rubbing Shadow's head. "Squirt here really misses his puppy back home,"

"I'm afraid I don't know where it is," the woman confessed.

Swaine only nodded, turning away, a disappointed scowl on his face.

Once they got to the Golden Grove, their ride was cut short… and Shadow's eyes widened in disbelief. Last time he saw the Forest of Plenty, all kinds of fruits and vegetables were growing around, a lively spring sparkled near the entrance, and everything was green and full of life! But now… it looked as if the life had been sucked out of the forest. Everything was dried up…

The woman sighed, saying something about having to wait; Swaine thanked her for the ride and began to walk off… until the woman reminded him of the 10g he promised. Shadow quickly covered for him; the woman scoffed, claiming the thief was lucky to have such a generous kid with him.

They walked through the forest, looking around. A few creatures scurried away from them, perhaps sensing that their auras had grown. It was getting dark by this point, and the thief suggested they rest. They climbed up some giant mushrooms to a small clearing, void of creatures.

Swaine leaned against a tree, already dosing off. "Wake me if any creatures attack, will ya?" he murmured.

Shadow nodded, sitting close to him. After a few minutes of keeping watch, however, his eyelids were growing heavy…

 _*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*_

All grogginess left him completely, when he felt the ground shake. "W-What…?! What's that?!" Swaine gasped, jolting awake as well.

Something large was coming up a path, enormous horns could be seen.

Acting on instinct, Shadow and Swaine both hid behind the tree, peeking out. Passing them was a massive creature as big as a house, with horns that looked like that of an elk's in a spider-web design; its skin red and its eyes glowing like fire. It carried a massive shield and sword, snorting smoke and snarling.

"Gladiataur…" Swaine whispered. Shadow looked up at him. "He's the Guardian of the forest… but they normally just reside in the deepest parts. What's he doing on the path?"

Gladiataur paused, looking around. The thief and beggar ducked down lower. From the look in the guardian's eyes, it would be a horrible fate if they were spotted.

The Guardian of the Forest continued on, his thundering stomps echoing through the still forest. It was then Shadow noticed no creatures had been wandering around; perhaps they sensed Gladiataur's presence and did not want to get caught in his path.

Swaine tapped his shoulder, thumbing to the side. There was a slant in the hill they could sneak down, which lead to the other end of the path. Shadow nodded, following him into the bushes.

Dead leaves crunched beneath their feet as they crawled through the foliage, twigs snapping off bushes whenever they brushed against them. Swaine kept pausing every time they made a sound, listening intently in case Gladiataur heard them, continuing on once silence continued.

Though, Shadow was still worried. The massive monster's footsteps stopped echoing. If the creature had decided to lie down and rest for the night, they would have to be extra-quiet; there was nothing worse than disturbing a massive beast's slumber.

After fifteen minutes of maneuvering through dead brushes, they found the path. A Waystone sat nearby, which was fortunate as they passed by one on their way in and forgot to use it. Already worn of energy from hiking around all day, they would need a boost to keep moving.

"Okay, Stealth, you go first." Swaine whispered. "Head for the exit, and keep quiet."

Shadow gave a small nod, shimmying out of the bushes, careful not to break any more twigs or step on any leaves. Being raised in the wilderness taught him how to keep light on his toes… especially when there was a threat nearby.

He looked over his shoulder, making sure the Guardian wasn't nearby. Sighing with relief, he waved to Swaine, motioning him that the coast was clear.

The thief made his way out, the little beggar cringing when his feet shuffled through the dead leaves; not hesitating, the man made haste and ran out of the bushes, leaping onto the path.

The two of them froze, making sure nothing was aroused.

There was no snarling. No heavy footsteps. They were in the clear.

"Well… that was easy," Swaine quietly commented with a grin, making his way to the exit-

*snap!*

…his foot landing on a stick, now snapped in half.

There came a grunt, and Shadow turned around…

…seeing a Sore Boar coming around the bend!

The pig let out a ferocious squeal, running forth to challenge them. "Bloody-!" Swaine hissed, and quickly summoned Gunther while Shadow brought out Salem.

Gunther got to the wild pig first, punching it with all his might. The battle would have been over quick… had a Bumbler not ambushed him from behind, piercing the familiar with its spear. Salem leaped into action, swinging his sword at the second foe, both of them in a duel to stab each other.

Swaine rummaged through the pack, quickly downing a bottle of iced-coffee so that his familiar could have a boost in magicka. Tossing the bottle aside, he gave the Hurley the command to use Pebble-Pelt on the Sore Boar, finally knocking the pig out. He looked over, watching as Salem sliced at the Bumbler rapidly, the foe finally disappearing in a puff of smoke.

The two breathed heavily, then walked over to the Way Stone, getting a boost in energy and feeling their bruises heal. "C'mon, lets get…" Swaine began to say, but paused. In the middle of the path, a jar of Bumbler Honey lay. "What do you know? Spoils of war,"

He walked over to retrieve their prize.

Shadow looked around to see if any other objects were dropped…

He saw something glowing behind the trees atop a hill.

He waved rapidly had Swaine, wishing he had a voice to cry out with. Picking up a stick, he threw it at the thief to get his attention. "Ow! What-?!" Swaine demanded, then noticed Shadow pointing frantically to the exit.

Translation: RUN!

The man began to move quick…

" _ROOOOAAAARRRRR!"_

Too late.

A massive shadow leaped in front of him, standing between him and the beggar.

Their brief scuffle had drawn the Guardian's attention.

"Shit…!" Swaine cursed, summoning Gunther and drawing his pistol, moving back to keep out of the guardian's reach. He fired at it, while his familiar hurled rocks… but it did no good. The massive beast then kicked at the dirt, muscles tense, head low, then charged-

"Meow!" Salem pounced, tackling Swaine out of the way; Gladiataur raced past in a blur, slamming into a tree, and turning redder with rage. He prepared to charge again.

A rock hit his face. Then another. The enraged Guardian looked over, seeing Shadow was the one chucking pebbles; the lad then stuck his tongue out at the massive being, making faces. He had to get it away from Swaine!

"K-Kid-!" Swaine snapped, when the Guardian charged at Shadow.

The boy managed to dodge the charge, making Gladiataur run into a hill. He then waved at Swaine rapidly, as if telling him to hurry up and run. The thief got back on his feet and raced over, just as Gladiataur turned around. The Guardian then tensed, an aura glowing about him- he was going to use a special attack!

Quickly summoning back their familiars, the two looked around for a barrier. Swaine looked up at a treebranch, then quickly shot his grappling hook up at it; he grabbed Shadow by the arm as the cord retracted, pulling them both upward. They climbed onto the branch…

Just as Gladiatuar cast Devastation, a wave of energy bursting forth and blasting any objects in his way across the field. The power caused the whole forest to shake.

*Crack!* The bough of the branch began to give…

Shadow looked down at the Guardian, now right below them…

*SNAP!*


	9. The Weight of Responsibility

Gladiataur turned around, seeing that his Devastation technique caused a tree-branch to fall, 40 feet away from where he stood. In fact, several branches had fallen.

On one of them had been a Nap-Cap, who quickly scurried away. The Guardian gave chase to it, pursuing it deep into the forest.

*Crash!*

Had the beast not moved, Swaine and Shadow's branch would have landed on his horned head. The two lay on the ground, slightly paralyzed from the fall.

Slowly, Swaine crawled over to the pack, lying discarded on the ground during the fight, and brought out a Tonic, using it on himself. He then looked over at Shadow, who was holding his leg, tears running down his face in pain. The thief searched through the pack, but they had no healing supplies left. Dammit, he should have bought some while they were in Al-Mamoon!

"H-Here…" The thief coaxed, moving over to the lad and picking him up; the kid was so small and scrawny, it was like holding a cat- which made it easier to carry him over to the Way Stone.

The boy achingly reached his hand out, touching it, the magic rock healing both of them completely. Had they been any deeper in the forest, it would be hell for both of them- Swaine having to carry his injured companion through a creature-infested forest, with a rogue Guardian charging at everything in its path…They wouldn't last five minutes.

Swaine set him down and, once he was sure the kid could walk alright, handed him the bag. "C'mon, let's get out of here before the next disaster hits," he stated, and they left the forest. Once they were out in the open field known as the Rolling Hills, he looked up. The clouds were moving more inland, meaning it would be raining in a couple hours.

It would take them at least three hours to reach Ding Dong Dell by foot, and that was if they didn't encounter any creatures along the way.

Shadow seemed to be looking around, a sense of discomfort on his face. "Let's keep moving- we have to find shelter before the rain comes in," Swaine told him. The boy nodded, allowing him to lead the way.

As they walked, the thief kept thinking back to the last couple days. Ever since Shadow 'joined' him, he felt a weight on his back- sure, the kid came in handy when it came to earning guilders, and made good back-up when fighting minor creatures… but was it really worth the responsibility he had to deal with? He had to make sure the kid was keeping up, split food-rations with him, and make sure he wasn't going through the man's belongings. If the kid even _looked_ at his gun, it made the thief tense.

Now he had to protect the kid, too; not just watching his back in battles, oh no, but keeping his health up and tending to his injuries- something that didn't occur to him until after they fell 15 feet from the ground! It was a miracle the scrawny little twerp didn't break every bone in his body!

Shadow tugged at his sleeve, pointing over at some trees on a hill. Walking over, they found it was thick enough cover to hide them from creatures. There were low branches too, so they could drape the remaining blanket over one to make a tent. Shadow began doing so, using rocks to hold down the corners of the blanket, doing so well it was as if he had done it a hundred times before.

With skills like that, he should have been smart enough to find a real home, not wander around with a stranger…

Why did he even want to join Swaine in the first place? Kids like him should be looking for a real home- with a nice warm bed, hot meals, tons of toys, and a pair of parents to help raise him, put him in school, and to a better job at protecting him! Yet instead, Shadow preferred living on the lam with a thief, conning people, and having to sleep on the ground most of the time.

And of all people, why Swaine? He was a total stranger to the lad- he even stole from him! Then all of a sudden, the kid pops up, intent on travelling with him. Either the kid was desperate for a role-model, or he was completely bonkers!

Whatever the reason, Swaine knew he couldn't let the kid stay with him. It was too dangerous.

That… and he had a more important matter to get to. He had to find a way back to Hamelin- having a kid following him around would only complicate things.

For now, he had to rest, crawling into the make-shift tent and lying down on the ground. Shadow crawled in next to him, lying close- not by choice, as there wasn't much space- and dosed off, as if feeling safe. It only made the thief feel more uncomfortable.

It was low, but he would have to ditch this kid, first chance he got.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The night got cold and wet; thankfully, the rain was light, more of a sprinkle than a downpour. The canopy of the trees helped shield them a little bit, so the blanket-tent didn't get too damp. A few drops hit them, but not enough to soak them.

Though it was still annoying; Swaine ended up pulling his jacket over his head to cover his face. Shadow did the same with his hat.

Ten minutes had passed before the rain let up; by that point, the thief was asleep, snoring heavily.

Shadow couldn't bring himself to sleep, yet. It had been years since he had been in Ding Dong Dell, and was worried about going back. The only time he had ever gone was to get supplies, and even then he had to be quick to get in and get out, his mother never taking him too deep into town, just in case those men were still around…

Breathing in deep, he let it out slowly. He and his mother only made monthly trips to the town, so they were never recognized easily. Even if they were, those men had probably moved on by now, perhaps off to other towns. Or, if he were lucky, they were in jail.

He told himself to calm down, moving closer to Swaine. If anything happened, he had faith the thief would protect him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Swaine was the first one to wake up the next morning. It was past dawn, the sun rising above the horizon, casting a golden glow through the foliage. "Mmph…" the thief moaned, burying his face in his arms. What he wouldn't give for a decent tent, sleeping bag, and pillow. Maybe he could snag one out of the next store he was in.

The morning was humid, which made it impossible to sleep in- if it were just hot or cold, he could either sprawl out in the shade or curl up with the blanket… but nope. When it's humid, the air was so damp and uncomfortable that he felt claustrophobic, being suffocated by what he'd call the Sweat of Nature.

It also didn't help that something- or someone- was lying so close to him; not in a clingy way as he would with a stuffed animal, but in a way as if he were using the thief as some sort of barrier. Shadow was still fast asleep. How could this kid sleep like this?!

Moving slowly, Swaine stood up on his hands and knees and crawled out of the blanket-tent, pulling the bag out with him. He stood up and stretched, popping his always-aching back. He then dug through their supplies, looking for something to serve as breakfast. All they had was bread and one bottle of iced coffee.

Alright, fair enough. He'd take the coffee, and the runt could have the bread. He could grab more food in Ding Dong Dell- the town was cheap in prices, after all. They could stock up a bit.

He sat down on a log, sipping the coffee while looking around. The Rolling Hills looked beautiful in the glow of the early-morning, few creatures out and about as a few of them were still asleep in their caves, nests, or burrows, with only a couple moving about to get an early start on a hunt. A herd of ulk was slowly moving by, the peaceful creatures already on the move from one grazing range to another. In the distance the ocean sparkled in the morning light, while a river in the distance glimmered; far off high in the hills a waterfall shimmered beyond its mist.

If he weren't on the run so much, Swaine could kick back and enjoy these sights more often. When he first left Hamelin, he looked around in awe, having barely seen a clear blue sky; not that Autumnia never had its clear days, but due to some smog and lack of trees, the skies were either partly cloudy or overcast. If he wanted to see a wide view of the skies, they would have to visit the kingdom of Xanadu…

He frowned at the mention of the city. Ten years ago there was a rumor that the kingdom had fallen; Hamelin had sent reinforcements to help, but by the time they arrived it was too late. _I wonder if things would be different if I stuck around…_ he wondered.

Swaine shook his head. He couldn't guilt himself with the past now- he had to focus on the present, and help the future of the kingdom.

And he had to get there soon…

He sensed movement behind him and looked over, seeing that Shadow was awake. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the child walked over to him; he looked at the coffee, then at the thief, pointing at the beverage in a way to ask for some. "There's bread in the bag, you can have that," Swaine told him.

The child walked off, returning seconds later with a loaf of bread, splitting it in half and offering the bigger half to the thief- in exchange for half the coffee.

The thief shook his head. "No. The last thing you need is coffee- you'd be running all over the place, and I'm not going to wear myself out trying to keep up with some hyperactive kid," He turned away, looking out at the distance. It would be a couple hours before they reached the Cat Kingdom. Once there, he figured he could…

…

He looked over his shoulder. The kid was still there, and looking at him with those puppy-dog eyes again.

"Stop giving me that look!" Swaine sneered. "Didn't I tell you not to look at me like that?!"

Shadow sighed, then walked back over to the tent, eating his bread.

Swaine shook his head, then looked at the coffee. There was only a little left… and it was pretty humid that morning. They didn't really have anything else to drink…

"Dammit," The thief muttered, then handed Shadow the beverage. "Here. But if you end up bouncing around, I'm leaving you tied to a tree."

Shadow gave him a gracious smile, and handed him the other half of the bread.

Sighing and shrugging, Swaine ate it. He would have to remember to grab more drinks while they were in town.

Once the two had their small breakfast, the two packed up camp and went on their way.

They wandered through the field for the next two hours; thankfully, most of the animals sensed their auras and strayed away, only a couple Ruffs bold enough to take them on, but they soon regretted it. By midday, they neared the kingdom.

"Alright, here's the plan- we head into town, grab a few supplies, and try to get some more guilders. The Inn is real cheap here, too, so we can stay for a couple nights, but we'll have to leave before anyone catches on…" Swaine was telling him, always having to think up a game-plan. Hopefully, no one would recognize him, after his last stunt over two weeks ago.

He paused, looking over his shoulder at Shadow, who had stopped before even crossing the bridge. The lad seemed to have a look of anxiety on his face.

"What is it?" Swaine asked, looking ahead. There was no sign of danger- just a couple guards in charge of opening the gate. He turned back to Shadow. "There's nothing around. Let's go- hey!"

Before he could finish, Shadow hastily gripped onto his arm.

"Quit it! I told you, if you wanted to travel with me, you have to do as I say."

Shadow gave a feeble nod, but hung on to his arm.

The thief sighed. "That includes no latching onto me," he tugged his arm away, walking on; the kid stuck by his side- obviously they couldn't enter at different times, otherwise the lad would throw a fit. "Alright, since you want to keep close, here's the new plan…"

He whispered the plan to the beggar, who nodded eagerly. Apparently the kid loved to act things out- probably a professional since he had to use gestures to communicate.

As they neared the gates of the city, Shadow kept tense, his eyes darting around as if worried they would get ambushed.

Swaine had to feel a bit concerned too. What was here that made the kid so nervous?


	10. A Sudden Change in Plans

As they walked through the gates of Ding Dong Dell, Shadow felt his heart pounding hard in his chest, anxiety creeping up on him. His mother always told him to be careful in the city, just in case those men were still around… Every time he entered the city in the past, he would quickly run out once he got the supplies they needed, heading back to the village of forest dwellers.

He wished his mother were still alive, beginning to daydream about her not really having died, but just fell asleep because of her illness, and was awake by now… But, no. Her breathing grew shorter until it stopped, the sound of her heartbeat no longer to be heard, her body growing cold and rigid. The natives buried her on top of a tree on a hill overlooking the city.

Shadow looked up. The walls were high, but he could still make out the hill a little bit.

He hated coming here. Nothing but fear and sorrow greeted him.

He wanted to ask Swaine if they could leave, maybe catch a ship and sail away. He wanted to tell him why he didn't want to come in this city, about the bad men who tried to hurt him and his mother years ago. He wanted to tell him everything…

But he couldn't. He could only use gestures to communicate with the man.

Tugging on his sleeve, Shadow pointed back at the gates. "We'll leave once we're done here. Just relax," Swaine told him, his voice sounding impatient. The beggar nodded with a sigh, sticking close; he didn't want to anger the thief.

They stopped by a covered bridge near a water-wheel; Swaine looked around, making sure the streets were clear, before kneeling down and whispering to Shadow. "Okay, here's what we'll do. You go up those stairs over there, and do some begging near the palace. Not too close to the castle, just sit by the fountain- the locals like to hang around up there, so you'll have some luck. I'll do some bargaining down here. …If you get in trouble with the guards, just come to me, and we'll put on an act- what's wrong with you?"

Ever since Swaine started, Shadow had been shaking his head. He didn't want to leave the thief's side for a second in this place! Not until he was sure it was safe. As if to make his point, the beggar held onto his arm.

"What the…? C'mon, let go! You can round up a few guilders on your own, can't you?"

If it were any other place, he would. Shadow shook his head.

Swaine sighed, rubbing his face in aggravation. "Alright…" he began to rethink a new plan. "We'll stick together, but just for today." He looked over at the Hootique. "C'mon. Let's get to work,"

Shadow sighed with relief, sticking close to him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Swaine and Shadow walked down the street into the Hootique. "Excuse me, ma'am, do you have any deals on cakes?" the thief asked.

"Of course. Each of our cakes cost 50g," the Hootenanny replied.

Swaine feigned a cringe. "That much? You don't have any on sale?"

"I'm afraid not… I suppose you're a little tight on money?"

"Well, yes. We've been travelling for days, and spent most of our money in the last town. We're on our way home, but decided to stop and buy a cake," he rubbed Shadow's head. "It's my son's birthday today, and I promised I'd get him one. …But, I suppose we'll have to wait, since it's a little out of our budget,"

Shadow added to the charade, giving the woman 'the look'.

"Oh, I suppose I could make an exception. Having a cake on a birthday is a hooge deal!" The Hootenanny showed them over to the back of the store, where she kept most of her delectable goods. "Go ahead and pick one out, dearie."

Shadow browsed a few cakes. First he pointed at a plain one, before shaking his head and continuing to browse; he then pointed at a carrot-cake, once again changing his mind; same went for a carnation cake.

While he kept the Hootenanny distracted via pretending to be indecisive, Swaine snuck a few things into the pack, including bread, vegetables, beef, flans, chocolate, and more coffee; while he was at it, he also swiped some socks, a pair of shoes, and a sweater.

He was about to grab a blue tunic, red cape, white shirt and white slacks when the chime of the door's bell rang with a *cling cling*, and he quickly put the pack on his back and looked around, pretending to be browsing. In walked a pair of men, who gave him a wary glance before calling for the Hootenanny for some assistance.

Shadow looked over at Swaine and- making sure no one else was looking at him- he gave Shadow the 'OK' sign, meaning it was time to wrap up their act. "Well, 'son', did you find a cake?" he asked Shadow.

The beggar nodded then pointed at a plain cake. The Hootenanny nodded, handing it to the lad. "I can give you a discount- only 20g," she said.

"Works well for me," Swaine replied, handing her a small sack of coins. He and Shadow then walked out. "Alright, we'll hit the Cawtermaster's next- right after we check into a hotel and drop off our stuff. The pack is already full- we may have to nab a second one."

Shadow only nodded, munching on the small cake, while sticking close to the thief.

They got to the Cat's Cradle, renting a room for only 10g. Once inside Swaine closed the curtains and locked the door, then began to sort through their stolen supplies. As he did, he noticed Shadow had a solemn look on his face, looking towards one window that gave a view of the hills.

"You're not feeling guilt, are you? I told you, you were going to be travelling with a thief," Swaine told him. "…Otherwise, it's not too late to look for a new place. This town isn't too bad-"

Shadow once again shook his head rapidly. Either to reassure the thief that he was going to hold out on their deal, or because he didn't want to stay in this town. For what reason, Swaine didn't know.

This gave him an idea.

He stretched. "Alright then… well, before we pull another heist, let's get some rest. The bed's a lot comfier than a tent," He crawled onto the mattress, relaxing once his head hit the pillow. Damn, he wished he could sleep in a hotel every night.

…

His comfortable position was violated when Shadow curled up next to him. Despite it was a large bed, the boy found it necessary to smother him. Swaine grimaced, then pushed the boy over to the other side. "New rule: keep out of my personal space," the thief sneered.

Shadow gave him a hurt look, but obeyed, curling up into a ball and snuggling with a pillow instead.

Swaine turned the other way, ignoring the fact that he hurt the kid's feelings, but in his defense the lad should have known he wasn't the sensitive role-model type.

Plus, he was going to do worse in a moment, as soon as the little beggar fell asleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _He found himself in some sort of swamp. It was dark, raining, fog all around; the trees had glowing yellow eyes staring out, glaring at him; little lights, being the remains of lingering souls, hovered around; creatures roamed about, holding weapons and snarling at one another._

 _He snuck by them, trying to keep from getting caught by one of them. He stepped into a puddle… and immediately felt pain stinging within him. The water was poisoned! Quickly he crawled out, running up a path and finding a Way Stone, healing himself._

 _There came growls, and little imp-like creatures with pitchforks were coming at him! He ran as fast as he could down the path, the monsters pursuing him._

 _*ba-bump… ba-bump… ba-bump…*_

 _He could hear his own heart pounding. Where was he?_

 _He came to a path that crossed over a raging river. If a mere puddle could poison him slightly… falling into a venomous river would kill him instantly._

 _The monsters were coming closer._

 _He ran across the path, careful to stay in the center so not to fall into the water._

 _*ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump*_

 _His heartbeat was picking up the pace._

 _He looked behind him, seeing that the monsters had stopped… and were heading in the other direction._

 _He slowed down his pace at this. Usually when monsters ran away, it meant a greater threat was nearby._

 _*ba-bump-ba-bump-ba-bump!*_

 _That's when he realized the heartbeat he was hearing was not his own._

 _There came an eerie cackle, and he turned around…_

Shadow gasped, sitting up. He looked out the window, seeing it was late in the afternoon, the sun already setting. He then noticed Swaine was gone- the thief probably went out to pull another heist without him.

At least, he thought so… until he noticed the pack was gone too.

Tears formed in his eyes.

While he was asleep, the thief had ditched him.

Shadow bolted out of the room, running out of the Inn. He looked up and down the street; he wanted to search around town… but chances are, Swaine didn't stick around. He ran out of the gates, seeing that it was dark out. Running through the hills at this hour would not be wise…

*Creeeaaaaak, clank!*

He turned around, seeing that the gates had closed- the entrance locked for the evening. Two different guards stood out front, one of them looking bored, the other energetic.

Shadow turned and continued on. There was no chance of entering the kingdom again tonight- whether he wanted to, or not.

He was thankful he managed to get out in time.


	11. No Honor Among Thieves

It was the most rotten thing he could have done.

Ditching an orphan, leaving him behind with nothing in a town he was afraid of, and making off with all the supplies. If that didn't get the kid to leave him alone, nothing would!

But in Swaine's defense, it was for the best. He couldn't take care of a kid while living as a thief. Maybe if he were still a prince, he could be of help…

Once he got home to Marcassin and helped him out, he would make it up to the little beggar. Somehow. If he even remembered him.

First things, he had to find a way to Hamelin. He headed for the shore; perhaps he could use the things he stole as a bargain to get a ride to Autumnia.

As he walked, he began to ponder about how to meet with his brother. Perhaps he could make up some story, claiming he was on his way, but was jumped by bandits… No, of course not. He didn't want Marcassin to believe he needed protection. He wanted to show he made it along fine on his own, and had only come back because he heard his brother was in trouble, holding up his promise.

Then again, one look at him and Marcassin would catch him in a lie.

No, he couldn't reveal his identity; not until he proved himself worthy.

He stopped, looking himself over.

Memories came back to him; they were a bit foggy, as it was hard to remember everything 15 years ago. All he remembered was going up a dark trail with a young wizard, a girl, an older man, some lantern-faced fairy, and… another boy…

He pondered about this. It was evident that he was the older man… but how did he get sent to the past? How did he meet those other kids? When would he meet them?

He shook his head. He was starting to get a migraine thinking about it.

Plus, he had to stay focused on his goal…

*Thud!*

"Oof!"

…much less his surroundings, especially for any feet that appeared in his path. He looked up, seeing a couple men standing in front of and behind him; they were the same men who entered the Hootique. "Didn't think we would let you skip town, did you?" the first one, who had brown hair and a thin beard, scoffed.

"What do you bastards want?" Swaine sneered, trying to get back on his feet, but the man behind him planted his foot onto the thief's back, pinning him down.

"We recall you causing quite some excitement in the dell some time ago; not many people cared, though." The man behind him, with black hair and a long goatee, commented. "You stole from some sailors… yet no bounty was placed on your head,"

Swaine sneered. "If there's no bounty on my head, what is catching me worth to you?"

"You're a thief, we'll get a reward for catching you anyway, bounty or no bounty," the brown-haired man replied, then smirked. "…Maybe we'll get a hefty reward, if we give 'em a good story. Maybe that kid you had with you was kidnapped, and you were using him to swindle people,"

"He's not with you now… I suppose you dumped him off somewhere, right?" the black-haired man guessed, then gave a gruesome grin. "Or… maybe you wanted to make sure he kept quiet and slit his throat,"

Swaine grimaced. "I'm a thief, not a murderer. I left the kid back in town- the guards see him alive, and your story would be proven false," he muttered.

"…Not unless we made it look true," The brown-haired man unsheathed a dagger, turning it in his hand as if to admire the blade. "Poor boy- didn't know his 'daddy' was going to stab him in the back… or the heart."

Swaine's eyes widened. "You wouldn't-! Stay away from him, you bastard!" He forced himself up, pushing the man's leg off his back and drawing his gun. The two men backed away, though he kept his aim on the man with the dagger. "If you so much as lay a finger on him, I'll put a bullet right between your eyes!"

The man with brown hair smirked. "Then you'll listen to our demands, won't you? Give us the loot you stole, and we won't hurt your 'beloved son',"

 _So they're thieves too… the sadistic kind,_ Swaine thought. "Why? You'll probably kill me afterwards anyway. There's no honor among thieves,"

"Ha! Why bother? You're a thief yourself- no one will give a shit about what you have to say." The black-haired man laughed. "Now- hand over the goods, and that child won't get hurt,"

Swaine glared at them, then cocked his gun. "…I don't think either will happen." He summoned Gunther, having his familiar face the black-haired man while keeping his gun aimed at the other. Without hesitation, he shot one of the bandits with a Deadshot, knocking him unconscious; Gunther attacked the partner, slamming a fist in his face.

The black-haired man drew his own weapon, a short sword, and slashed at the Hurley, cutting its arm; the blade must have been sharpened to split a hair, as it nearly lopped Gunther's arm off. Swaine flinched, feeling its companion's pain, and quickly summoned him back while aiming his gun at the man.

*click*

He pulled the trigger again.

*click click*

He was out of bullets.

 _Dammit!_ Swaine cursed in his head, then switched the gun to its grappling-hook, deciding to swipe the sword from his foe. He fired, but the man dodged; the hook quickly retracted and he shot again, yet again the man dodged. _He's quick, isn't he?_

"Just hand over the loot, or I'll slice you in half!" The black-haired man snarled.

That gave the thief an idea. "Fine, you want it so bad, HERE!" he shouted, then threw the pack at the man.

His opponent staggered back, catching the bag…

…only to realize he dropped his sword while doing so. Swaine acted fast, grabbing the blade and pointing it at the man's friend. "Tell me… how much is your friend's life worth?" he asked.

The black-haired man gaped. "Y-You wouldn't! You said you weren't a murderer!"

"I'm not… but when it comes to defending myself, I have to make an exception. And considering you two crooks are more than just thieves, it's going to be tough to let either of you live. …Especially since your pal threatened a child. Tell me, if someone were to threaten your kid, would you want them walking the streets?"

"N-No… please, we weren't going to hurt him, honest! I-It was just a bluff! My brother is all talk and no action! Please, don't hurt him- I'll do anything!"

 _Brother, eh?_ Something Swaine could relate to… and use to his advantage. "Then give me back my supplies, and get out of my sight… Consider yourself lucky- next time, I won't spare either of you,"

The black-haired man nodded, then tried to throw the pack at Swaine the way the thief had done to him… but Swaine only stepped to the side and let the bag hit the ground. Honestly, the man was trying to use his own trick against him. How naïve.

Keeping the blade aimed at the brown-haired man, Swaine reached down and picked up the pack while keeping his eyes on the black-haired man. He then began to back away, keeping his eyes on his foe in case he tried to pull something, but the man only walked over to his brother to survey his damage. "Oi, wake up you louse…!" he muttered, tapping his brother's face to snap him out of unconsciousness.

Swaine smirked to himself, preparing to turn and run.

There came a sound from the bushes just then…

Something ran out.

Swaine gasped…

The black-haired man looked over, then shot his arm out, grabbing Shadow the moment the boy rushed past him.

The black haired man smirked at Swaine, standing over his brother while keeping the beggar in a choke-hold, his hand having a tight grip on the boy's head. "Well, well… how the tables have turned," he said with a sadistic smile.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Shadow had summoned Salem to look for Swaine, the Purrloiner following his scent like a bloodhound towards some foliage over the hill. Along the way they encountered a couple Ruffs, itching for a fight.

After the battle, the familiar grew tired, and Shadow had to summon him back. Seeing Swaine through some bushes, he didn't think he would need his familiar anyway…

Until he was grabbed by a stranger, whom he did not notice as he was so focused on finding the thief.

Now, it looked like they were both in trouble.

Swaine had a sword pointed at the man, but his hands were shaking. Gunther was at his side suddenly, ready for a fight.

"Ah, I wouldn't make any hasty moves if I were you," The stranger said, tightening his grip around Shadow's neck. "Summon back your pet and drop everything, or I snap the boy's neck!"

Shadow uttered a gasp, looking at Swaine.

The thief glared…

Then dropped everything, summoning back Gunther. He took a few steps back as the man walked forth, keeping a hold on Shadow in case the thief tried anything; he picked up the sword and sheathed it, then grabbed the pack. He then let Shadow go…

And punched Swaine, making the man fall back. Shadow scrambled to his side, glaring at the stranger.

By this point, another stranger was coming to. "Ugh… what happened?" he groaned, sitting up.

"Nothing- just bluffed a thief out of his loot. C'mon!" the first stranger said, forcing his comrade to his feet and the two took off.

Shadow winced. He looked at Swaine…

The thief was already storming off, cursing under his breath.

The beggar stood up, a sick feeling in his stomach; the man would have managed to get away from his foes, had Shadow been more careful… but he wasn't, and because of it they lost all their supplies.

He ran after Swaine, wanting to apologize, to state he'll make it up to him.

Swaine turned around, glaring at him, and Shadow froze.

The thief had his gun aimed right at him.

"One more step, and I shoot you dead," Swaine snarled, the venom in his tone lined with promise.


	12. A Desperate Measure

His gun was out of bullets.

But Shadow didn't know that.

Swaine kept it aimed at him. "You just can't take a hint, can you?" he sneered. "I don't want you following me around anymore- you think this is some sort of game? Conning people, stealing from shops, getting in fights?"

Shadow shook his head. He took a step forth.

Swaine clenched his fist. "Stay away! Dammit, kid- use your wits! I have a gun pointed at you for crying out loud!"

Shadow only took another step forth. The kid was calling his bluff.

He kept looking at Swaine, his eyes misty. If he could speak, he would be apologizing for what he had cost the thief, perhaps begging for another chance.

 _He can't stay with me… he wouldn't survive- he'll just keep getting into trouble!_ Swaine thought. _He almost got killed in the forest; he almost got killed now! Why is he so hell-bent in sticking by me, even after I ditched him?!_

"I'm serious, Shadow. Stop following me!"

The boy took one more step forward. The tip of the gun-barrel was almost touching his forehead.

The thief shook with anger.

The beggar was testing him.

He had to do something to make it clear the boy couldn't stay with him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

*SMACK!*

The pain stung more in his heart than his face.

The thief did it.

He actually struck the beggar.

Shadow hit the ground, looking up at the thief with a stunned expression.

"Stay away from me! You're nothing but dead weight! If you follow me again, I'll…" Swaine snapped, his fist shaking, his gun now at his side.

Tears ran down Shadow's face.

Swaine continued to glare at him, before turning and taking off in a sprint.

Shadow remained on the ground, watching as he ran off. This time he didn't follow… he couldn't find a reason to do so.

The thief had a point. Despite Shadow helped him on his heists, the boy only added to the burden- Swaine had to split everything with him, had to slow down his pace so the kid could keep up… not to mention cost them both a pack full of supplies.

Maybe that's why he tried to leave him behind. He kept telling the kid it was going to be difficult… and that fight with the Guardian was proof that he was pushing his luck. In fact, he was sure it was that incident that gave the thief the idea to leave the kid behind. If he kept getting in trouble, the thief would feel responsible… let alone would lose his cool if the kid cost him something…

Above that, even if Swaine did let him stick around, what use was he to the thief? He managed to help him out when fending off wild creatures, but what about greater enemies? Salem wasn't strong enough to fight for more than ten-fifteen minutes, and Shadow didn't know enough skills to defend himself… let alone wasn't fully aware of his surroundings, otherwise he would have noticed a pair of strangers, and Swaine wouldn't have had to give up everything.

He only managed to do so much- earn them a couple extra guilders when begging (if he were lucky to get any at all), distract someone so Swaine could swipe something off them (if the kid could put on a convincing act- which was often hard, as he couldn't speak), or serve as a 'prop' for some act the thief could work off of (sooner or later people would catch on).

All Shadow managed to do was help the thief get extra supplies… which wasn't much 'extra' as the thief had to split rations with him; altogether, it was like Swaine was still stealing for himself- he just had to grab something for a kid, too. When they didn't get enough, he had to split his share…

Maybe Shadow was dead weight after all…

He wiped his eyes, standing up and walking out into the open. He looked uphill at a path that led to a village of forest dwellers. It was past sundown, the moonlight being the only source to illuminate the path before him.

He looked around. Swaine was nowhere in sight.

Shadow sighed, then continued on.

Unless he could prove his worth, the thief wouldn't keep him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Swaine ran as fast as he could, reaching the top of a hill. A couple Ruffs ran at him, but he managed to dodge them, the wild mutts running on and forgetting him once he was out of their sight. He stopped underneath a tree, leaning against it to catch his breath… then sank down, his face in his hands.

He had hit Shadow…

He struck a child out of anger…

In his mind it was a good idea- he had to keep the kid from following him, to keep him out of trouble… but in his heart, the action was inexcusable; maybe if the kid had intentionally done something wrong, a smack on the hand or spank on the rear would be the proper discipline… but this wasn't discipline. He struck the kid- in the face, no less!- just because the lad wanted to stay with him…

But he couldn't manage travelling on his own with a kid.

…

What about the kids he would meet someday?

Would he strike them too, if they pissed him off?

He tried to think about the reasons behind his action… but all he could deduce was how he couldn't hold back. He didn't want to- he wanted to hit the child for fouling up, even though it was the only time he had done so.

 _What's wrong with me…?_ The thief questioned, trembling a bit. As a child, he had been struck before, but only when he back-talked or did something that ended up nearly getting him and/or Marcassin killed. If his own father had found out about this, he would be deemed a disgrace for life…

…then again, was he anything else in his father's eyes?

He looked back. To both his relief and dismay, Shadow had not followed him. That was supposed to be a good thing- the kid wouldn't have to be involved with some criminal. Yet he still felt sick to his stomach- the little beggar wouldn't want to come anywhere near him after this.

Swaine sighed, walking on.

He looked ahead at the docks. There was no point in continuing on- sailors tend to spread word quick, so there was a chance he wouldn't be allowed on board. Even if they hadn't, he had nothing to bargain with to earn a ride; he didn't want to stowaway again, remembering the incident from last time; and working for a ride wouldn't help- he had no idea how many stops the ship would make, and unless they reached Autumnia in under two weeks, he wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace day after day… unless the sailors needed something swiped.

There came the sound of creaking wheels, as he saw three carts being pulled by; a group of merchants no doubt.

Their wagons were loaded with goods.

Swaine followed from a distance. A good heist or two would get his mind off things.

The moment robbery entered his mind, he seemed to forget everything else.

If something were wrong with him, it never crossed his mind.


	13. The Moonlight Hunt

"Hey! Boy! Boy wake up! Sun is high!"

Shadow opened his eyes. He looked over at the older boy- a forest dweller no older than 14- who was tapping his arm. Sitting up, the beggar rubbed his eyes.

"Boy oversleep. First meal is almost done. Boy eat while there is still food!" The forest dweller urged.

Shadow sighed. First meal was breakfast time… but he didn't feel hungry.

It had been two days since Swaine abandoned him. His appetite had been light since then.

The forest dweller cocked his head. "Boy not hungry?"

Shadow shook his head.

"Okay. …Change mind, come to Ruff Heart's hut. He keeps extra food," He smiled, patting Shadow on the shoulder before leaving.

Shadow watched him go, his mind wandering. 'Ruff Heart' was the name of the forest-dweller; it is a custom he learned when he was young- by age 10, young forest dwellers were given names that best fit their spirit. Ruff Heart got his due to his ferocity in battle, fighting off wild creatures head-on if they came close to the village… even if he was just a boy at the time.

The young beggar looked out the window of the hut he was in at the sky; the Naming Ceremony occurred on the first New Moon of a child's tenth year. He had turned 10 several weeks ago… but missed the naming ceremony, as he had set off on his own by then.

He wondered what kind of name he would get.

…

Judging from the last few days, it would probably be something like 'Heavy Burden', or 'Rhinosore Brain', or 'He Who Causes Trouble'.

He winced, wiping his eyes. He wanted to prove himself…

Someone else came into the hut; it was one of the kids he was sharing it with- one of the forest-dwellers welcomed him to stay, having been a good friend of his mother's. It was a young girl of 17- Moon Lily, she was called. "Boy has been quiet for past two sunrises," she stated, sitting down beside him. "What wrong?"

Shadow opened his mouth to speak… but no voice came out.

"You lost voice? …Hmm, what about familiar?"

Shadow nodded, summoning Salem. One thing common about forest dwellers was how close they were to nature- so close, they could practically understand creatures. Moon Lily was one of few who could speak with animals as if they were people.

Salem purred and mewled, growling once or twice; Moon Lily nodded, rubbing her chin. "Moon Lily sees. Boy wishes to prove worthy and strong, but not know how." She stood up, grinning. "Moon Lily help boy! Help him find good skill, get strong! Boy come with Moon Lily and friends on hunt during Full Moon this night, teach you good!"

Shadow looked up at her, while Salem let out a surprised "Mew!"; normally kids weren't allowed to partake in hunting parties until age 13.

"Boy young, but went out on own and came back alive; that mean boy can come with. No worry!" Moon Lily stood up. "Moon Lily find you good weapon. In meantime, eat and rest- need strength for hunt!"

Shadow nodded, standing up and walking out; Salem followed, and they saw that a bit of food was still left near the campfire, where the forest dwellers usually ate. The Purrloiner ran over, hungry for a bite; the young beggar followed, realizing his appetite had returned.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

By sundown, Shadow was ready for the hunt. He was nervous, but after thinking about the last few days, he felt that a simple hunt would be a little easier than having to take on a Guardian.

At least, he hoped so.

Moon Lily walked over to him with three other friends, one of them Ruff Heart; the other two were 16. "Boy remember Star Gazer and Strength of Hierophant," Moon Lily said. "Both good hunters. Star Gazer spot creature from far away; Strength of Hierophant very strong, can take down strongest of beasts."

"Moon Lily good too. Heals friends if hurt," Star Gazer said, as he gave Moon Lily a warm smile. She blushed, smiling back.

"Boy ready for hunt? No turn back!" Strength of Hierophant asked, crossing his arms. Shadow nodded.

"Ruff Heart got you weapon," Ruff Heart spoke up, and handed Shadow what looked to be a Y-shaped stick with a thick rubber band attached to it. "Traveler give it as gift once. Called it 'Shooting Sling'- supposed to throw rocks, but Ruff Heart never used it; rather use hands."

Shadow smiled, nodding in thanks.

"Friends ready? Sun is sinking- we start as soon as light is under ocean!" Star Gazer exclaimed.

Shadow followed the teen forest dwellers outside the village, a few locals calling out to them with cheers of good luck. They stood on top of a hill, watching the sun lower itself below the horizon. Moon Lily pointed towards the mountains to the south. "We hunt in trees on other side of field, soon as moon is high," she said. The others nodded.

Once the sky grew dark and the moon shined bright, the small hunting party ran towards the trees.

They moved silently, keeping eyes and ears open. Soon they reached a clearing with a pond- a perfect place to catch something.

"Star- up high; Ruff, Strength, hide; Boy with Moon, chase and lure." Moon whispered, motioning everyone to position. She turned to Shadow, motioning him to follow her. "See creature, chase it to bushes; if creature chases you, run to bushes. If creature too fast or strong and catches Boy, use weapon or familiar. Boy understand?"

Shadow nodded.

They crept along the edges of the trees, watching for any creatures. It was dark in the forest, only a hint of moonlight shining through the darkness. Thankfully, Shadow was used to the dark, his eyes adjusting quick.

Moon Lily stuck her arm out, giving him a shush-motion. She pointed over at a lone ulk walking over to the water and getting a drink. She then motioned to him to sneak over to the other side, then run towards it once she gave him the signal.

Quietly as he could, he walked around to the other side, careful not to step on any twigs or leaves. He learned to keep stealthy while travelling with Swaine, knowing one sound could alert anyone or anything while they were sneaking about. He remembered how quiet he had to be when they were sneaking through Golden Grove- this was a piece of cake.

Once he was in position, he watched Moon Lily; she waved him forth- the signal!

They ran out. "Yiyiyiyiyi!" Moon Lily yelled, startling the creature. Shadow, having no voice, summoned Salem to snarl and hiss at the ulk.

The ulk gave a bellow of alarm, taking off running. Moon Lily and Shadow chased it towards the other edge of the clearing, where their comrades lied in wait.

Star Gazer, spotting them from a distance, gave a whistle to Ruff Heart and Strength of Hierophant, who ran out with a net, throwing it over the ulk once it was close enough. The creature's hooves tangled in the net and it fell over.

The hunters gathered around it. "Boy stand back, sharp weapon needed for this," Moon Lily stated, holding up her spear.

Shadow looked, seeing the other hunters hold up daggers or spears. He looked away, not exactly wanting to watch an animal get stabbed…

He then noticed something coming out of the bushes.

Quickly, he ran towards Moon Lily, tapping her rapidly and pointing over. She looked over her shoulder and gasped. "Predators! Big ones!" she called to the others. She grabbed Shadow and pushed him onto a tree-branch. "Stay."

They scattered to the trees as three Hyper Boars came out, being led by a more matured species, Full Boar. "Ugh, Star Gazer hate Boars," Star Gazer groaned.

"Big pigs going for ulk!" Ruff Heart gasped, watching as the four Boars surrounded the ulk. "Must stop!"

"Too strong. Big one very advanced. Not familiar with strength," Strength of Hierophant claimed. This was understandable- living in the Rolling Hills, where younger, less experienced creatures roamed, the forest dwellers weren't quite able to take on three advanced species.

"Five of us, four of them- work together, we beat them!"

"Only third hunt! Not ready!" Star Gazer replied.

"Ruff Heart don't care- won't let nasty beasts take away ulk!" With that, Ruff Heart leaped down from the tree, stabbing at the Full Boar with his spear! "Back, pig, back!"

"Ruff Heart, Byrde Brain!" Moon Lily groused, then leaped down to aid her comrade, fending off a Hyper Boar when it tried to attack him.

Strength of Hierophant and Star Gazer leaped down as well, but the Boars seemed to have matched their strengths. The Hyper Boar trio all used a Bowlder trick, barreling over the three older hunters! The Full Boar used an Earsplitter trick next, emitting a loud squeal that shattered their eardrums!

Shadow winced from the pain of the sound, but noticed the hunters were in worst shape. Ruff Heart was still trying to attack with his spear, but a Hyper Boar barreled into him, knocking him down; he then had to use his spear's handle to lock against the tusks of the Full Boar, keeping it from impaling him!

The other three were no better; Moon Lily was hit with a Belly Buster move, being sent slamming into Star Gazer; Strength of Hierophant had a Hyper Boar by the tusks, struggling to push it back; another Hyper Boar was running at him…!

*Thwack!*

Without hesitation, Shadow had Salem leap into action, the Purrloiner hitting the charging Hyper Boar with his sword. The familiar then stuck its tongue out at the creature, enraging it into chasing him; Salem leaped out of the way the last second, making the Hyper Boar slam into the Full Boar who had Ruff Heart pinned!

Salem hissed at the two hogs, making them both chase him- and once again, made them crash into the other two Hyper Boar. The pigs all stood up, squealing and rearing up on their back-hooves, ready to charge at the pesky Purrloiner-

*Thonk! Thonk!*

One Hyper Boar squealed in pain, as a pair of stones suddenly hit it in the eyes!

*Thonk! Thonk!*

A couple buckeyes hit the Hyper Boar in the rear, next.

Shadow reached up, prying another buckeye off the tree and hitting the Full Boar in the snout. He climbed down the tree back onto the ground, grabbing more stones and loading them into his slingshot, shooting at the pigs from a distance.

The Boars were becoming enraged, looking around for whoever was shooting at them; Salem then started slicing at them with his sword, making them chase after him- then Shadow would hit them with another rock, buckeye, or even a dirt-clod in order to throw their minds off-track. He kept at it, having Salem lure the pigs away from the wounded hunters and ulk.

Once they were far enough away, Ruff Heart stood up, grabbed his spear, and threw it- impaling a Hyper Boar right in its side, deep. The pig squealed in agony before falling to the ground, disappearing in a puff of smoke. The other Boars turned in his direction… but more buckeyes launched from Shadow distracted them.

Salem then used Slice-and-Dice, giving all the pigs some gashes and wounding them greatly. However, the familiar was running out of stamina, and Shadow had to summon him back; he was also out of things to shoot with.

Thankfully, Moon Lily had been using this time to heal the others. Once they had their strength back, they grabbed their weapons and attacked the remaining Boars, making them disappear in puffs of smoke.

Shadow felt a wave pass over them, as if the strength of their auras increased. Ruff Heart beamed. "See? Ruff Heart told friends beating pigs be easy, together." He said.

Strength of Hierophant smacked him upside the head. "Ruff Heart should be called Dung Head! Almost got killed!" he snapped. "Ruff Heart THINK before fight!"

"Would rather fight than lose prey!"

"Enough! It no matter," Star Gazer snapped. "We alive. …Boy saved us," he looked at Shadow, smiling in gratitude. "Star Gazer very thankful. Boy tricked pigs, didn't see boy at all! Very sneaky."

"Good shot with Shooter-Sling, too!" Ruff Heart added.

Moon Lily walked over to him, handing him a dagger. "Boy saved us. Gets honor of killing prey." She said.

Shadow bit his lip, looking over at the ulk, still tangled up. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to it and held up the dagger. He closed his eyes… and brought it down quick.

The ulk moaned in agony, before falling limp. Shadow winced, tearing up at the sound of its cry; Star Gazer patted him on the shoulder. "Remember first kill, too. It okay. Ulk spirit goes to Paradise, safe from hunters. Body is used to feed village. No cry."

Shadow nodded, taking in a deep breath and letting it out.

Strength of Hierophant, Star Gazer, and Ruff Heart all carried the ulk back to the village. Moon Lily had Shadow lead the way while she carried on the rear.

The moment they returned to the village, Shadow went straight to his hut and lied down in bed, tired out from his first hunt.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next day, the beggar took a walk up the hills. He stopped at his mother's grave.

He sat there a while, wondering what she would think of him now. He had survived on his own for a while, and managed to assist in a hunting party. Surely, she would be proud…

…

He wondered if Swaine would be proud if he had seen him.

Would he allow the boy to join him once more?

Shadow sighed. He looked at the Shooter-Sling, then out at the hills.

Gathering as many rocks, pebbles, and stones as he could, he decided to practice a little more with his new skill.

By sundown, he returned to the village for rest.

To his surprise, a whole crowd was by a campfire. The chief, an elder forest dweller, was speaking with someone beyond the crowd.

Shadow walked over to Ruff Heart, tapping his shoulder and pointing over at the chief. "Chief is speaking with traveler." Ruff Heart replied, his mouth distorted in a sneer. "Don't like them. Look shady and mean,"

Shadow arched an eyebrow, walking over to see who the visitor was.

His eyes widened.


	14. Consequences of Greed

_~Three Days Later~_

It was supposed to be a simple heist.

Just grab a couple loaves of bread, some water, then head across the desert to Al-Mamoon, get some information, and see if there was a way he could get to Hamelin.

But… once again… plans went astray.

He started heisting a few things off the carts he snuck on. Not just food, but gems, clothes, drops- whatever caught his eye.

Problems arose when he tried to get off the cart- his arms were so full, he couldn't catch himself when he stumbled over the edge, falling onto the ground; some fragile objects broke beneath him, a few shards piercing his skin. As if that wasn't painful enough, the owners caught him. They were merciless, punching and kicking him, then throwing him down the hill, having him roll until he crashed into a Mohawk.

After having to fend off the creature, he was worn out. It wasn't until another merchant passed by- the woman who had given him and Shadow a lift before- that he got somewhat of a reprieve. She took sympathy on him, letting him lie down in the back of her cart; she asked where the little boy was. He told her about his run-in with the bandits- improvising by claiming they took the boy after beating him unconscious.

He felt a pain in his heart as he told the story.

He knew the truth…

He abandoned the kid, after slapping him with the back of his hand.

He still didn't know what had gotten into him…

His eyes drifted over to a sack sitting in the corner of the cart. His mind went blank.

By the time they reached Al-Mamoon, Swaine had snuck off the cart with the sack.

…

He didn't get far. The woman had gone to the nearest guards, telling them about a 'rugged traveler with a missing child', bringing up how said man vanished with a bag of goods.

She spotted him on the street, pointing him out.

The guards took chase.

Swaine ran as fast as he could, throwing the sack over his shoulder to delay them, cutting through an alley.

He hit a dead end…

A guard tackled him.

"I didn't mean to take it! I thought it was mine, I had a sack just like it-!" The thief sputtered. "Throw me in jail, but let me keep my hands-!"

"Shut it, will you?" the guard hissed; Swaine looked at him, relieved to find it was his inside-source. "Dammit, Swaine, I thought you were smart enough not to make heists around Al-Mamoon! Are you trying to get your hands lopped off?!"

"Hey, I snagged the bag BEFORE I entered the city. Therefore, the 'hands-off' penalty shouldn't apply to me,"

"Yeah. Good luck telling that to the court,"

"C'mon, Ramus, you have to help me out! I have something important to do!"

"Like what, spread stories about a missing kid?"

Swaine scowled. "No. I have to get to Hamelin. I was hoping you knew a way to help me out,"

"I know the Cowlipha has a boat- but no one is allowed on-board without a letter of passage. And before you ask, no, I can't get you one- suspicion would arise, and I'm already risking my neck just talking to you!"

The thief sighed. "Fine, but you'll keep an ear out, won't you?"

"Sure… but it'll cost you 500g."

"Deal."

Ramus hauled him to his feet, then walked down the end of the alley. "Now get out of the city. We've got enough to deal with- and keep discrete next time, otherwise I'll turn you in myself!" With that, he left; he called to his comrades down the street, claiming the thief took off down another alley.

Swaine peeked out; once the coast was clear, he ran out of the city.

…

As he crossed over a dune into the wilderness, a young boy and fairy were coming around the bend, entering Al-Mamoon.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It seemed he had lucked out in the desert city, as misfortune seemed to follow him. The heat in the desert dried him out- he could barely develop any saliva in his mouth.

Mix that with a couple bold creatures who wanted to pick a fight, and he nearly passed out.

It was sundown by the time he got to the pass leading to the bayous. He stopped at a tiny pond, practically falling in it as he dropped to his knees, dousing his face while cupping his hands for a drink- unlike the oasis in the desert, the water was filthy, and he had to choke it down. Chances are, he would be regurgitating it later on.

No matter. Castaway Cove was just down the road. He could sneak into the Inn for a good night's sleep, snag a few things, and hang about until he figured out a new plan…

Once again, things went astray.

This time, he spotted something glimmering in the distance. An item someone dropped, no doubt.

Without hesitation, he went off-road to go find the source of the shimmer, running over the hill, seeing the item lying in a puddle of water. He picked it up…

…finding it to be nothing more than a wet stone.

"Dammit," he cursed, throwing the stone back in the water. He began to storm off…

Only to find his path blocked by two Hog-Goblins… and a Gob-Father.

Swaine quickly drew his gun…

*click*

…only to remember he ran out of bullets days ago, and had yet to find the materials he needed to reload it.

Summoning Gunther, he tried to fend off the creatures, but they proved too strong; his familiar was also as worn out as the thief, neither of them having the stamina to fight. The trio of creatures were merciless, slashing and hacking at his familiar. The thief drew him back… and took off in a sprint, running away from the fiends.

They took pursuit, cutting him off halfway down the road. The thief took a sharp turn, running through the trees, reaching a clearing-

The Gob-Father leaped in front of him, jabbing him with his spear.

It was a minor blow… but it did the trick.

Swaine's vision began to fade, everything going black. "This can't be happening…!" he gasped, before falling face-first on the ground.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _A jar of Bumbler Honey._

 _That's what he saw before him, in the middle of the path._

 _He ran towards it…_

 _A large hoof came crashing down, smashing the jar before he could grab it._

 _Gladiataur roared, his eyes alight with flames, snorting smoke. He charged at the thief in a blind rage-_

"Agh!" Swaine gasped, snapping awake from the nightmare.

He was lying on the ground, still alive. The creatures had left, perhaps to fight with a livelier foe.

 _Just a nightmare…_ He thought with relief.

…

Or… was it?

It was a nightmare, but it was based on truth.

He thought back to the situation.

…

Shadow had been so careful to sneak out; Swaine, in his haste, ended up causing a bunch of noise that caught some creature's attention. Even so, they managed to beat them in a fight…

…but he just had to go back for that honey. What use of it was to him? He didn't even like the taste! Yet he had to go grab it.

Shadow had been waving his arms like mad, trying to alert him…

The thief closed his eyes.

If he hadn't turned around for some worthless item, they could have gotten out of the forest, safe and sound. Shadow wouldn't have gotten hurt…

If only he had a little more control…

Shadow wasn't the only one to blame for their misfortune…

Actually… he was the one who screwed up things.

Now he lay on the ground, aching from last night, fresh wounds caked with dirt, his gun without ammo... and his brother far away, his hometown in trouble, and he had no way of helping them.

He was tired. He was starving. He was wounded.

He was out of ideas.

Swaine opened his eyes, looking at the sky through the tree-tops. It was still a deep shade of blue, with a hint of purple and orange, signifying that it was early dawn. A good opportunity to sneak into the seaside village…

But he couldn't move. His body ached too much. He barely had any strength to sit up.

It was a miracle he was even still alive…

 _Bloody hell…_ The thief cursed mentally, shutting his eyes.

…

A light shined moments later.

…

It couldn't be sunrise already, could it?

…

But… it was coming from the west…

It was getting brighter; he could feel a soft glow on his face.

"What the…?" Swaine rasped, his eyes squinting as he opened them, and he had to shield his face.

The light moved, being tucked away… and the first thing the thief noticed was a familiar pack lying on the ground- filled with food, bottled water, and tonics!

He looked over…

He couldn't believe it.

Shadow had come back.


	15. Worthy in Spirit

_The bandits from before had come to the village. The black-bearded one was trying to bargain with the chief, offering to trade a loaf of bread for the beaded necklace he wore- it had a pendent on it that signified his responsibility as leader of the village._

 _When the chief kept turning down one offer after the next, the brown-haired bandit lost patience, drawing a knife and grabbing a nearby villager by the air, holding the blade up to their throat and threatening to kill her unless the chief and the rest of the forest dwellers handed over some goods._

 _Moon Lily was the hostage._

 _No one could do anything; even boisterous Ruff Heart held back, not wanting her to get hurt._

 _Someone had to do something._

 _They didn't notice Shadow yet; he moved swiftly, grabbing the pack. When the black-haired man looked and found it missing, he then began to demand who stole it, distracted from the chief._

 _*Thonk!*_

 _A rock hit the brown-haired man in the side of the face, making him lower his blade in his stunned moment. Salem then ran by quickly and swiped his knife, giving Moon Lily the chance to punch him in the jaw and free herself._

 _Another rock hit the black-haired man in the forehead. The bandits looked around, but saw no one; even the Purrloiner disappeared. Yet another rock came flying at them from another angle; then another from the other side._

 _Shadow moved quick, ducking behind random objects to hit the bandits. When the black-haired man dropped his weapon, the rest of the villagers chased them out with spears and daggers, cursing the thieves to never return._

 _Once things settled down, the chief asked Shadow to come forth. "Boy very bold to attack wicked men. Very quick, kept hidden well, and good at hurling rocks. Mother would be proud." He said, making the beggar blush._

 _He then took out a leather necklace, a fang attached to it. Shadow bowed his head, allowing the chief to place it on him._

 _The chief motioned to the sky. "New Moon night. Time to give boy name. Saved hunters and village; moved quick, like thief in night."_

 _Shadow rubbed the back of his neck, but paid attention as the chief continued._

" _From now on, boy shall be known as… 'Stealth Spirit'."_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After his Naming Ceremony, Shadow 'Stealth Spirit' stayed in the village for a day.

However, he knew he had to leave.

He had a goal to achieve; now that he was strong enough, he had faith he could pull through this time.

He had Salem explain everything to Moon Lily; she understood, as she believed all 'young warriors' had to go out on their own, though had him promise to return someday.

Afterwards, he loaded the reclaimed pack with extra provisions, drew out his seeking stone, and left the village.

He spent the last four days searching around the areas; he avoided Ding Dong Dell, having Salem scout it out- the Purrloiner reporting that the town seemed much livelier than it did before.

He went through Golden Grove during the third day; he saw Gladiataur lurking by… but the Guardian no longer had an enraged attitude, walking by calmly. He only stopped and looked at Shadow, before going on his way back into the deep recesses of the grove.

It was then Shadow noticed that the forest was vibrant again, the trees, bushes, and grass green with life, fruits growing off branches, flowers sprouting everywhere. He walked on, finding a clear spring on the other side. It was beautiful!

He had to wonder what caused such a change…

He caught a ride to Al-Mamoon with a pair of travelers, talking about opening a new shop. Once they reached the city by Day Four, he began to scout around, but found no sign of Swaine.

He caught another ride heading for Castaway Cove. The merchant was hauling a variety of wares, one of them being a large cauldron. Shadow tried to peek inside… but the lid seemed to be stuck.

"Good luck getting that lid off. It's magic," the merchant said with a grin. "Only a wizard with the password can open it,"

Shadow cocked his head in curiosity, wondering what was inside the pot…

He felt a warm feeling in his boot just then. He quickly nodded thanks to the traveler, before grabbing his pack and jumping off, much to the merchant's confusion. He then ran across the bayou, hopping on one foot as he pulled off his boot, taking the stone out.

It was glowing, getting brighter the farther he ran.

By early dawn of the fifth day, he had found the thief… lying on the ground in a beaten state.

At first, Shadow panicked, believing Swaine was dead. He dropped the pack out of shock.

Then Swaine shifted, shielding his face; Shadow, realizing his stone was glowing at a blinding rate, tucked it inside his boot again.

He bit his lip, looking at Swaine, worried that the thief would get mad…

To his relief and surprise, the thief smiled. "Heh, stubborn kid…" he said.

Shadow winced, smiling. He wanted to run over and hug the man… but didn't want to push the limit. Plus, it was clear the thief had gone through a fight-too-many, sporting a few wounds. The beggar reached into the pack, pulling out a tonic and a sandwich, giving them to him.

Swaine used the tonic first, most of his wounds healing up, his ache numbed down; it wasn't a full recovery, but at least he could sit up. He then ate the sandwich- being so hungry, he devoured it in under a minute! Shadow handed him a bottle of water- that he downed in 30 seconds.

Afterwards, they sat in silence.

Swaine looked at Shadow… a hint of regret on his face. The kid still had a bruise on his cheek- it had yellowed a bit, slowly fading away, but his guilt still remained. He looked at the pack, wondering how the kid managed to get it back, and with so many supplies.

His aura seemed to have grown, too, as if he had been doing nothing but fighting to grow stronger. He wore a strange necklace too- maybe that helped boost his strength.

If the kid could speak, Swaine would ask to hear the full story… but he figured out some of the details, alright. To sum it up, the kid stole from the bandits, worked hard to get his strength up, and once again travelled across the land in order to find him.

"I have to admit… I admire your spirit," Swaine said with smirk. He rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You can stay if you want… It's not going to be easy- but, we can watch each other's backs."

Shadow smiled, nodding.

"Good. Well, let's see what's new in Castaway Cove-" Swaine stood up… immediately kneeling back down, his legs still aching. "(agh) …that is… after we rest a bit." He moved over to a tree, leaning back against it and folding his arms behind his head.

The beggar walked over, a bit sluggish in his movements; he had dark circles under his eyes, giving the thief a notion that he had been up all night. He sat down beside the man, leaning against his abdomen, folding his hands across his stomach as his cap slipped over his eyes. Seconds later, he drifted off to sleep.

Swaine looked down at the boy, having the thought to move over or push the kid off to the side… but, in truth, the position was kind of comfortable. The kid wasn't smothering him, wasn't lying on any still-healing wounds… so the thief decided to let it slide.

Closing his eyes, he drifted off next.


	16. A Ticket Home

"Stop! Thief!"

Twenty-three times Shadow had heard that, watching as Swaine ran by with his arms full of goods… and some unnecessary items. The merchant was shaking its fist, but did not leave his post in case someone else came to take his wares.

The two went back to their routine of stealing-and-returning items in Castaway Cove; the village, they came to learn, was quite generous in its rewards. As laid-back as it seemed, it was no surprise no authorities came chasing after Swaine after the tenth time he stole something.

Though that didn't mean they were too lenient. The other shops wouldn't let him inside, and he was restricted from staying at the Cat's Cradle until his conduct improved. …Until that ever happened, they were forced to sleep in their hideaway outside the village, and in the early mornings or late afternoons they would go in and do their routine.

Swaine would take several items and Shadow would return the things they didn't need. People caught on, he figured, but perhaps since the boy was returning most of the items they showed some mercy; to them, it seemed as if the young boy felt remorse and they were willing to forgive him.

As for the thief… well, not too much.

In all honesty, Shadow didn't exactly know what was going on with the man. Lately, he seemed to be snagging whatever wasn't nailed down, despite they only needed some provisions. Last week it was a vase; two days ago it was some beaded bracelets; and yesterday it was four sashes.

Shadow returned them all. "Why do you hang around that man?" the merchant had asked him, after giving the boy a candy-bar for [once again] giving back some stolen items. "You are a good kid,"

Shadow had only shrugged; if he had a voice, he would tell the man that he was hoping the thief would change.

His wish came true that day. Upon hearing the merchant shout for the 23rd time, he looked over from his place on the docks, watching as the thief ran down the deck; there were people in the way, so he had to take another route.

Shadow ran along the other side, crossing a bridge in order to catch up to Swaine… and his eyes widened in surprise. The man was carrying a large pot! No food, no tonics- just a large purple cauldron with a gold trim and embedded jewels around it. …It actually amazed the boy how fast he was running while carrying a heavy object.

"Hey! Stop!"

The boy did a double-take. For the first time in days, someone was actually chasing after Swaine!

Once again, he was hit by shock. One of the pursuers was the heart-broken girl from Al-Mamoon! What was her name again? Esther?

Yet she didn't look heartbroken anymore- rather, she looked full of fiery energy; last time he had seen her, she was cowering behind her father… now she was chasing after a thief with raw courage!

With her was a boy with reddish-brown hair, carrying a wand and book… and beside him was a funny-looking creature with a lantern on its large nose. "Oi! Stop in th' name o' th' Lord High Lord of th' Fairies, ya rotter!" the thing was shouting.

Stunned and curious, Shadow followed them. Swaine, in the meantime, tried to ditch them, ending up at a dead-end where he sat the pot down for a moment. For a moment, he seemed… confused.

Shadow watched from behind a crate, as Esther and the other boy seemed to try and talk the thief into returning the cauldron; the man looked annoyed, as if he had forgotten why they were chasing him…

"Heh, what do I want with this piece of rubbish? If you want it so much, it's yours!" The thief exclaimed, then tossed the pot right at the teens!

Shadow cringed, worried that someone would get smashed or knocked off the pier, but thankfully the kids caught it okay.

The thief ran past them. "I'm sure it will make you very happy!" he called in sarcasm, giving a wave before racing off.

Shadow followed, catching up to the thief near the edge of town…

Though instead of running to the clearing like they normally did, the thief instead ran down some stairs and slipped beneath the upper-dock, ducking behind some barrels. He was looking up through the cracks, watching as his pursuers took the cauldron back over to the merchant- who, for some reason, was reluctant to take it back.

Swaine, at the moment, seemed to have a far-away look in his eye. He wasn't exactly paying much attention as the kids were talking about the cauldron… it was like he was trying to come up with an idea.

The beggar followed his gaze, watching the young travelers; he was curious to know how Esther recovered, who she was travelling with, and why they had come to the seaside village.

The boy was looking through his book, reading a passage. "Open… Says-A-Me…" he read… and suddenly the cauldron began to wobble and smoke billowed out!

"Blimey!" Swaine gasped, and Shadow gaped. Out of the cauldron came a genie!

The two watched, as Esther and the boy suddenly had to fight the magical being; the fairy (as he felt it was called) was jumping around on the sidelines, calling out tips. The boy used his wand to summon spells against the genie, while Esther played magical notes on her harp; at some points, they summoned their own familiars to join in the fight.

Not that it started out as much of a fight. The genie appeared to be having trouble grabbing the right equipment. He was trying to pull something out of his cauldron after a few hits… ending up pulling out cooking utensils, pots, pans… a frilly dress…?

He grinned, as if he found what he was looking for, and quickly he whipped out his mighty- umbrella. Shadow had to snicker. This had to be the oddest fight he had ever witnessed! He looked at Swaine, who was shaking his head, watching as the genie got hit by one of the boy's spells while he was moping in shame.

Of course, the genie regained his determination and reached into the cauldron once more… this time bringing out a fire-sword! Shadow's grin dropped, feeling as if the fight was about to get serious.

He was right. Without hesitation, the genie began to swing his flaming sword wildly, spinning and swerving towards his opponents, knocking them over. Shadow cringed, worried that Esther and her friend were in trouble. He began to run forth to help…

Swaine stuck his arm out, holding the boy back. He was still watching the fight with interest; The boy looked ahead, watching as the genie now swung his own cauldron around, the other two kids dodging.

The beggar had to blink a couple times, as the boy summoned back his familiar… only to bring out a second one! Esther too! He didn't know it was possible to have more than one familiar at a time!

The familiars attacked the genie with all their might; the boy's familiar was a Thumblemur, and it was whipping its tail, dodging when the genie swung his own sword; Esther's was a Little Bighorn, who was using fire-attacks with great vigor.

The genie dove into his cauldron, the lid sealed on. Was he surrendering…?

No- the pot was starting to shake and smoke…!

*BOOM!*

He had to jump back, while Swaine gave a jolt; the genie had somehow caused a small explosion, knocking the wizard and Esther back! The two, thankfully, had defended in time, but still suffered some damage.

Esther played her harp again, blue light swirling around them, healing them of their wounds. The boy continued to cast spells, the fairy still shouting tips… and within a few minutes, they managed to defeat the genie, who pledged his services to them for passing his 'test'.

Shadow, after realizing he had been staring, shook his head to snap back to reality. He looked up at Swaine, who was rubbing his chin. "There's my ticket," he was whispering to himself. "I'll have to keep an eye on these two…"

The beggar tugged on his sleeve, arching his eyebrow in questioning.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing… C'mon, let's get out of here," Swaine stated casually, adjusting his jacket. "Before I get called out for not wearing a swimsuit,"

Shadow followed him out, but remained wary. Something was going on with Swaine…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was them.

No doubt about it.

The past 15 years had been somewhat of a blur, but one thing he remembered clearly was that young wizard who came from the future…

And he was going to help him get back to Hamelin.

…

The question was, how?

He didn't exactly have a plan on what he would do once he met them again… hell, they didn't even know him yet. And he couldn't speak of the past without sounding crazy… especially since he could hardly recall their names.

Introductions weren't important right now; all that mattered was that the young wizard was the only link to his past he had.

If he kept an eye on those kids, chances are he would find a way back home.

Sitting on a branch, he watched the front of the village. If they were heading out to sea… well, they would have no luck; there was only one ship docked at the port belonging to the Cowlipha of Al-Mamoon, and no one was allowed on-board without a letter of passage.

The sun was beginning to go down; chances were, the 'familiar strangers' checked into the Cat's Cradle for the night.

Well, if they decided to leave the village, he would be waiting.

*clunk! clunk!*

He looked down, watching as Shadow shot a couple stones at a target carved on a tree with that sling-shot. Where he got it, the thief had yet to find out- he just knew the kid was a good shot with it. When they weren't making a heist, the kid would be out in the bayou practicing.

Swaine had to admit, he admired how the kid always tried to improve himself.

He remembered their deal…

He didn't want to drag the kid along, but he knew the little beggar always seemed to find him no matter where he went. Besides, the kid proved his worth- an extra set of hands could work out. Shadow was good at providing a distraction, getting them extra guilders, and providing backup in battles.

So long as he kept pulling his weight, the kid was welcome to accompany him on his quest.

…

But then he would have to leave him. Not that he was a burden… Swaine just knew he couldn't care for the kid forever. Once he got to Hamelin to help Marcassin, the kid would have to fend for himself until the kingdom was back in order. He still stood by the idea- the fact- that the boy needed real parents to take care of him.

Yet he'd worry about that when the time came. For now, he would put the kid to work.

*poof!*

The little beggar, at the moment, just knocked out a rival Purrloiner. The boy stretched and walked back towards the clearing. "Tired?" Swaine called. He had to chuckle as the kid gave a jolt, looking around until he spotted the man up a tree. He then nodded in response.

Swaine climbed down, walking over to their sleeping-area; he managed to swipe some clean blankets two weeks ago, the two of them creating a make-shift tent. Nearby was a basin and old window cover (found in a trash-heap), which they used to wash their clothes- to the best of their ability, at least. They had yet to get any soap.

Both tired, they fell asleep in their tent; Shadow curled up on his own side, snuggled against his pillow, drifting off quick. Swaine sat up, looking over at the entrance of Castaway Cove one more time before lying down, looking up at the stars once before dosing off himself.

 _I'll be home soon, Marcassin…_ the thief thought before he fell asleep.

Little did he know he would be heading home sooner than he believed.


	17. Change in Routine

The next day started early for the two drifters. Before the sun was even up, Swaine was waking Shadow, telling the lad they had to sneak around Castaway Cove.

Not on a heist this time, though.

The man had the beggar change into his swimsuit gear, having him 'blend in' with the locals in order to work as his eyes and ears; the thief, during this time, lurked around below the decks or in alleys in order to do some spying from the shadows.

Their mission: Find out where Esther and her new friends were heading.

Shadow spotted them first- as it turns out, before the trio could walk around the seaside village any longer, the Governor approached them and insisted they change into swimsuits to meet the dress code. Once they did so, they went to speak with a sailor, learning they needed a passage from the Cowlipha of Al-Mamoon to use her boat.

Shadow went off to find Swaine, finding him in an alley. The thief, apparently, took time to swipe some pastries and coffee during their spying. The boy waved his arms, pointing at the boat and then making talking motions with his hands, pretended to write something, then pointed in the direction of Al-Mamoon.

"Whoa, slow down with the gestures, kid!" Swaine stated. "Where are our little tourists heading?"

Shadow pointed to the entrance of the village.

"So they'll be leaving soon, huh? Best see where they're going,"

The boy kept pointing, as if trying to say they were going to Al-Mamoon, while pointing at the ship, hopping up and down in desperation to get the thief to understand him!

However, Swaine's mind seemed to be focused on the task at-hand. "Yeah, alright, just hurry up and go before we leave." He walked onward.

Shadow only slapped his forehead. The things he would say if he could speak!

After ten minutes of waiting at the edge of the village, Esther and her travelling companions left the village, walking across the landscape towards the desert.

The two vagabonds followed from a distance; luck was on their side, as the creatures in the bayou avoided them, perhaps sensing that their auras had grown. The only challenge they had was keeping hidden. In the marshes it was easy, with all the trees and bushes they could hide behind; but once they got to the desert, it became difficult- unless there was a large rock to hide behind, they had to stay at least a dune away from them.

Reaching the city, their cover was almost blown. Swaine was leaned against the wall- pulling Shadow back when the boy nearly followed the kids too close. At this point, Esther was looking over her shoulder. "Yikes!" the thief gasped, pressing his back to the wall, worried that he had been spotted.

Thankfully, the travelers continued their way.

The two watched as the kids spoke with one of the guards, learning that the queen wasn't seeing anyone; however, if they had her favorite food, they could probably get access.

However, Shadow ended up losing focus, noticing a pair of men near the curry stand, both looking close to 40… and looking too familiar.

Gasping, Shadow ducked behind Swaine, hiding behind his jacket. "What the…?" Swaine sputtered, tugging his jacket away. "What is with you?"

Shadow pointed rapidly at the men…

Though Swaine only noticed Esther and her friends walking off towards the Inn, ready for some rest after a long trek. The thief followed, Shadow sticking close and looking over his shoulder, seeing the men were walking in the same direction.

Terrified, the boy ducked into a gap between two buildings, climbing up a stairway and slipping through a wooden door. He summoned Salem, hugging his familiar tight. Hearing footsteps, he quickly drew his sling-shot while his familiar was waiting to pounce.

Someone barged in, and the boy relaxed, finding it was Swaine. "There you are! What do you think you're doing?!" the thief snapped. "This is no time to be running around playing hide and seek-"

Shadow only pulled him over to a window, pointing down at the two men walking.

Swaine arched an eyebrow. "What about them?"

Shadow slammed his fist into his palm in a 'beating' motion, then pointed at himself.

Swaine pondered this. "You're afraid they'll hurt you? Have they tried it before?"

Shadow nodded. Salem walked over, hugging his companion in comfort.

Swaine scoffed. "Don't worry about those twits. They won't come near you with me around," he stated, holding up his gun to emphasize his point. He looked out the window. "Plus, it looks like they're leaving the city- it's safe to go out. …Now, c'mon, we have work to do,"

They walked out back onto the street towards the hotel. Not seeing the kids anywhere, they decided to go into the halls and search the rooms- the purrprioter was busy fawning over a portrait, so it was quite easy to slip by.

They walked down the hallway and up the stairs, checking some rooms- Swaine, as it turned out, had a gift in picking locks; however, they didn't see nor hear any sign of the kids in or around any of the rooms. After almost an hour of searching, the man deduced that they must not have checked in."Ugh, they must have left the city. C'mon…" he muttered, and they prepared to enter the lobby.

In a flash, the two kids appeared! "I can't believe it! We found the Cowlipha's soul-mate and her favorite food!" Esther was stating with glee.

"Right- now we just have to get some milk an' make it, like! C'mon, no dawdling!" Mr. Drippy exclaimed.

"Well… That's lucky," Swaine stated; Shadow, in the meantime, was awestruck that the kids appeared out of nowhere!

They followed the kids, standing by a peddler selling rugs and watching from a distance as the young wizard used a spell to create cheese- and some candy and cake by accident as well! However the kids only took the cheese, which helped them gain entry into the palace.

Swaine and Shadow walked over to the milk fountains, the beggar picking up one of the abandoned pieces of candy and eating it. "Wait here… I'll be right back," Swaine told him, walking towards the other side of the court.

Shadow watched as the thief gave a nod at one of the guards, who followed him to the other side of the opposite milk fountain. The beggar put down his candy, sneaking over and eavesdropping on the conversation.

"The two are wishing to get a letter of passage from the Cowlipha, in order to use her boat." The guard was stating. "From what I heard, they are planning on sailing to Autumnia."

"Is that so…?" Swaine said; despite his cool expression, there was a hint of excitement in his eyes.

Shadow scratched his head. What was in Autumnia that piqued Swaine's interest?

He looked over, noticing Esther and her friends walking out of the palace.

"…Yeah, yeah, you'll get it soon enough." Swaine was stating to the guard, wrapping up their conversation. He then walked off, Shadow following him and tapping him on the arm. "Oh, there you are kid."

Shadow thumbed back at the guard, giving the thief a curious expression.

"Huh? …Oh, nothing. Just needed some insight on what those kids were up to. C'mon, let's head back to Castaway Cove- we'll have to beat them there,"

Shadow sighed, following. Sometimes the man was hard to figure out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was getting late in the afternoon by the time the two arrived back in their usual clearing. Tired from running from one town to another and back, Shadow lied down in their sleeping area and immediately drifted off.

Swaine smirked, shaking his head, then climbed up a tree to keep an eye out for his 'ticket back home'.

As he kept watch, he felt a twinge of concern for the beggar… He was afraid of two gruff-looking men walking through the city, afraid they would hurt him. He didn't think much of it at that moment, but now he realized something about them made him cringe.

However, he couldn't think about it now. He had to focus on his goal- swipe that letter and get home.

As for Shadow… well, the thief would keep him around until they reached Hamelin. And if those men came around- hell, the thief would have the home advantage.

That is… as long as he could fix things.

The kids were coming down the trail. Swaine jumped down, landing in the bushes; the sound alerted Shadow, and the boy came over to his side, the thief motioning him to keep still.

"So, this is the sage, huh?" the young wizard was stating, looking at a picture of Marcassin.

"He is quite hansom- I can see why the Cowlipha was swooning!" the desert-girl giggled.

"Best keep that picture an' letter under lock an' key, Ollie-Boy." The fairy was saying as they got closer to the village. "Don't want to risk some rotter snaggin' it!"

Minutes later, that's exactly what happened.


	18. Joining the Quest

Everything happened so fast.

Shadow ran trying to keep up with Swaine. The thief had shoved past Esther and her two friends, stealing something from them- a picture and a note of passage.

The thief zipped through Castaway Cove, Shadow close behind. They made it to the ship, where Swaine tried to reason with the captain to let him on board, but the sailor was too familiar with his reputation to allow him to set foot on the deck, whether he had a letter of passage or not.

Shadow wasn't paying attention though; he looked over, seeing Esther and her friends had caught up with them. He tapped Swaine to tell him, but the thief already caught sight of them… and the beggar caught a glimpse of his eyes.

His eyes were usually a deep brown, so dark he could see his reflection in them… but any reflection was hidden behind the glow of violet.

Esther and her friend tried to talk to him, wanting him to return their possessions. Usually whenever the thief was caught, he'd just drop whatever items he found and run off, just like he did with the cauldron. But this time he was hell-bent on hanging on to them.

Suddenly he began to stumble back, gripping his head. A dark mist was rising from him.

Shadow began to panic, rushing forth to try and help him-

He was blown back by a force, as whatever possessed the man burst out of his heart. The thief fell to his knees before landing face-first on the ground, passed out… and hovering above him was an eerie creature with a green face, wide upper-body, and cloaked in black.

They were no longer in Castaway Cove, now standing in some sort of void. "Flippin' heck, another Nightmare!" the lantern-faced creature exclaimed, and turned to Esther and her friend. "You know what to do, Ollie-boy! Esther, break out th' familiars- you'll be needing youer healing hymns big time for this baddie!"

Shadow watched as Oliver summoned a new familiar, a Clubber Cub, to fight; Esther in the meantime summoned her drongo to assist. She and Oliver both used their magic to attack the monster- the Nightmare- to the best of their ability.

But the Nightmare had its own share of tricks, spreading out poisoned orbs of light, trying to blind its opponents, and disappearing before reappearing behind Esther to give her a bash on the back of the head-

*Thwack!*

A rock hit it in the face, turning its attention from the desert-girl. Shadow, with his sling-shot in hand and Salem at his side, jumped into the fight. He didn't know what this thing was or how the others knew about it- he just knew it was the cause of Swaine's behavior.

The wizard-boy struck the Nightmare with a spell, while Esther played a song on her harp- a maddening melody that did damage to their enemy. Shadow had Salem hack at it with his sword.

Before long the Nightmare was defeated- with so many people ganging up on it, it couldn't keep up with its tricks and vanished.

The void disappeared, and they were back on the deck, watching as Swaine slowly came to. "Ugh… what the hell…?" he groaned.

Shadow sighed with relief… though it was shortlived, as when Esther and her friends tried once more to ask for their things back, Swaine continued to be stubborn.

"He's heart-broken alright," the fairy was muttering. "Missin' a large piece of Restraint, which would explain why he was running 'round robbing people,"

"Let's go find some then! Someone here must have some to spare!" Esther said, and she and her friends took off.

Shadow watched them go, curious about what they were talking about. He turned back to Swaine, the thief exhausted from the effects of his Nightmare and standing on the deck, rubbing his head and seething with anger. "Idiots… stupid idiots… why can't they see I need to go back?" he was griping to himself.

The beggar bit his lip. He took a step forth to try and console the man…

 _He had his gun pointed at the boy._

 _When he refused to leave…_

 _He raised his hand, bringing it down, striking him across the face._

He paused.

Swaine seemed twice as angry now than he was back then.

Shadow looked down the deck, and ran to find the young travelers, hoping to help find a way to save the man.

He found them by the hotel, talking to the Governor… and he noticed the wizard's locket glowing. The beggar watched in awe as a light floated from the Governor's chest into the locket. "Fantastic! Now we can—" Esther began to say, pausing when she noticed Shadow standing there. "Oh! Hello…"

"Hey… you were in the void with us," the wizard noted. "You were helping us fight. I'm sorry you got caught up in all that- I'm glad you were able to defend yourself."

Shadow pointed at the locket in curiosity.

"This? …We're going to use it to help a man. You saw him on the deck with us- we need to restore his heart, otherwise another one of those Nightmares will come ba- whoa!"

Shadow grabbed the boy by the arm, pulling him along as if ushering him back to Swaine. "Slow down!" Esther called as she and the fairy hurried after him. "Do you… know that man?"

Shadow nodded but didn't slow down, only stopping once they were back on the deck where Swaine was. To his relief, the thief was still standing there looking pissed-off.

The wizard-boy stepped up to him, exchanging a couple words, before opening his locket and casting a spell. The orb of light Shadow saw before then shot into Swaine's chest.

"Agh! What did you do to me…?!" The thief gasped.

Shadow stepped forth, watching as the man took in his surroundings; Swaine cautiously stepped back, as if he were being cornered. The beggar watched him with anxiety, worried that the thief would have a relapse and take off again.

The boy wizard stepped forth, having his palm out. "Hey! Give that back!" he said firmly.

Swaine, unlike before, developed a calm demeanor, taking out the picture he had stolen and examining it. "What, you mean the picture of Pretty Boy here?" he guessed. "I don't think so,"

"What could you possibly want it for?" Esther questioned.

"Let's just say I can't have it making the rounds. Tell you what- I'll buy it off you. Do we have a deal?"

Shadow shook his head, covering his face. He stormed up and crossed his arms, giving Swaine a hard look. The thief arched an eyebrow at him, and the beggar firmly pointed at the travelers as a way of stating 'Give it back!'

"We can't sell it," the boy wizard stated. "We need it to find the Great Sage in Hamelin."

Swaine's face softened. "The Great Sage…? What business would a pair of kids have with him?"

"We need his help. We need him to teach me magic so we can stop Shadar!"

Shadow did a double-take, thinking he misheard. Was the boy serious? Was he really going to go after the Dark Djinn?!

"You what…?" Swaine chuckled, and busted out laughing. "A shrimp like you, going up against the Dark Djinn!"

"You'd better believe it!" the fairy snapped.

"You're having a laugh, right? No one's been able to stand up against Shadar!" The thief then looked away, a sad look in his eye. "Believe me…"

Shadow looked at him curiously.

"Oliver can do it," Esther spoke up, stepping forth. "He helped my father, Rashaad, do magic again."

Swaine looked at them, surprised. "Rashaad? …You mean the Great Sage Rashaad?"

Shadow looked at the boy, Oliver, in bewilderment. Last time he saw Rashaad, he was sadly selling babanas on the streets- yet here Esther was, stating that the young wizard convinced him to return to the magical arts?

And the young wizard also helped Swaine…

Now he was talking about going against Shadar? Was there anything the wizard wasn't going to try?

He looked over at Swaine, who was pacing. The beggar walked up to him, giving him a curious glance, giving him a look that read 'Well? What are you going to do?'

"I must be crazy doing this…" Swaine muttered under his breath, before turning back to Oliver and Esther. "Alright, I'll do it. I'll take you to see the Great Sage,"

Whaaaat?

Shadow arched an eyebrow. What kind of connection could Swaine have to a Great Sage?

"Huh?" Oliver questioned. "You will? How?"

"Let's just say I have business with him myself," Swaine answered, then stuck out his hand. "The name's Swaine. Nice to meet you, kid,"

"I'm not a kid!" Oliver scoffed.

"Alright, sheesh! Don't get your knickers in a twist…" Swaine felt a tug on his sleeve, seeing Shadow beside him. "Oh, right. This is Shadow- he's my partner in crime."

Shadow gave a nod in greeting. "Shadow? …I've seen you around Al-Mamoon. You're the little beggar who always hung around on the streets! …How'd you end up with the likes of him?" Esther asked. Shadow shrugged. "Hm? Don't you have a reason?"

"Quiet lad, en't he?" the fairy stated. "Oi, kid, if you're in th' middle of introductions, a simple 'how do' en't gonna hurt!"

"Mister Drippy, be nice. He might just be shy,"

"Actually, he's mute." Swaine explained. "Comes in handy though- the kid's so quiet he can sneak up on anyone; he's pretty good with that sling-shot of his, too."

"Yeah, I saw him when we were fighting your Nightmare. You're really good!" Oliver said to Shadow, who blushed.

Swaine cleared his throat. "Well, I happen to know some techniques myself." He looked around. "Aha, perfect! Follow me," he led everyone down to the end of a pier; across from them was a green chest, far out of reach.

"We've seen chests like those before," Oliver spoke up.

"Too right- they're a bugger to pop open, though, always out of reach of a Spring Lock spell." Drippy said, then looked at Swaine. "Hold up- you mean to say you can open 'em?"

Swaine smirked. "Sure, watch this." He took out his pistol, clicking on a small button on the side.

*Bang!*

"Oh!" Esther cried. However rather than a bullet shooting out, the grappling hook shot across the gap in the docks, unlocking the chest and snagging the item inside.

"Neato!" Oliver exclaimed, easily fascinated. "So do you use your gun a lot?"

"Sometimes, otherwise I use my familiar. …Speaking of which, c'mon out boy!" Swaine exclaimed, summoning Gunther to show.

"You didn't steal him, did you?" Esther questioned in suspicion. Shadow had to snicker at this.

Swaine gave her a look. "No, I didn't steal him! He's my familiar, fair and square!"

Shadow raised his hand, motioning Esther's attention on him and he summoned Salem. "Oh! So this is your familiar!" Esther rubbed the Purrloiner's head. "You came in handy in battle today."

Salem purred in gratitude.

"Well, now that we've got all our introductions out of the way, shall we get going?" Swaine asked.

"Too right, mun. We've got a long boat-ride ahead of us!" Drippy exclaimed, hopping ahead.

Shadow smiled, following the group on board the ship. Within the minute the captain, Sindbah, called out to his crew to unfurl the sails and weigh the anchor, the _Sea Cow_ taking off with the tide.

Esther, Oliver, and Drippy stood by the railing, looking out at the sea ahead. Shadow stood by Swaine, looking around at the boat.

"This should be fun," Swaine commented to himself, rubbing the back of his neck. Sindbah walked up and rested a hand on his shoulder, giving him an assuring grin, before walking off.

Shadow looked at him, having to smile. Whatever Oliver did really helped Swaine. There was something new in his eyes, as if he had just regained a new spring of life.

The beggar relaxed. Things were going to be easier from this point on.

…Or so he hoped.


	19. Shadar

**A/N: Hey readers! Funny seeing an author's note this late, right? Lol**

 **Just wanted to say thanks to you guys for the follows and views. I know this probably isn't my best story, so I really appreciate it all.**

 **Also, despite I've played the game and seen the Let's Plays, I want to apologize if some of the game-plots don't match up in this fic. I'm writing out of memory most of the time, so if any dialogue or scenes are different from the original material… that's why. :P**

 **Okay enough with this Author's Note. On with the story!**

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The sea-breeze blew through the sails as the water-wheel motor helped speed the Sea Cow vessel cross the ocean. Shadow sat on the barrel, looking down at all the sea-creatures that breached the waves. A couple times he and the others had to fend off rogue creatures that climbed on-deck- a way of earning a 'free ride', as Sindbah had claimed.

During the short battles, Shadow noticed that Esther's harp healed others with her melodies, as well as tamed certain creatures who were impressed by their fighting skills. He also noticed Oliver knew a numerous amount of spells, then there was Swaine with his Trick-Shots…

Currently, they were taking down a Splisher and two Sparkees. Near the end of the battle, Shadow hit the Splisher with a stone; Salem, after some experience, gained an Arc Fire trick that helped fend off the creature; the Splisher then developed a loopy expression.

Esther noticed and played her heart-winning melody, taming the creature. "Nice Splisher," she said, stroking its head. She took out her Creature Cage… only to find it was full. She looked at Shadow, smiling. "Would you like to keep it? All you have to do is name it, and its yours!"

Shadow nodded, petting the Splisher. He thought of the name 'Harper', and it receded into his chest. He then hugged Esther, who giggled.

"The waters look clear of threatenin' creatures for now." Sindbah declared, looking through a spyglass. "Ye swabs can take a rest- we'll call ye up on-deck if any more beasties care to pick a fight, ha ha."

Swaine looked over the railing of the bough; there was an island chain to the west, and the Shipwreck Shore could be seen in the north-east ahead. He looked to the skies, seeing they were mostly clear, only a couple of clouds to be seen in the distance. "As long as the weather stays fair, we should reach Autumnia by this afternoon," he stated.

Shadow stood beside him, looking ahead then up at the thief. He summoned Harper, tugging on the older man's sleeve to show him.

Swaine looked, giving a grin. "Got a new pet, huh? Very nice." He turned his head back in the direction of the horizon.

Shadow looked out at the horizon, straining his eyes to see if he could spot Autumnia in the distance, but his view was being obscured by the sea-mist ahead.

Swaine looked at him and chuckled, tussling his hair. "I'm going to go below deck and hit the galley. You can hang out up here," he then walked off.

Shadow watched him for a bit, before turning to his Splisher, stroking its head again. A shadow fell over him, and he turned to see Oliver. "Hi. Shadow, right?" he said in greeting; the younger boy nodded. "I like how you use your sling-shot in battle- it's really neat."

Shadow looked at his sling-shot. True, he was an excellent shot… but outside of his familiars, he didn't have a surplus of skills like the others did. He shrugged in response.

Oliver took out a large book. "This is my Wizard's Companion. It's where I keep the spells I learn, and it teaches me about the different lands I visit and the creatures that live there-"

The beggar did a double-take, and rapidly tapped at a picture in the book that showed Gladiataur.

"Huh? Oh, that's Gladiataur- he's the Guardian of the Golden Grove. Mister Drippy and I ran into him when we were passing through their on our way to Al-Mamoon-"

"Aye, what a fight that was!" exclaimed a voice, and the fairy himself came hopping over. "Ol' Antler-Ears had been corrupted-like, so we had to beat him back to his senses! Made quite a team we did- had to knock out th' big galoot by throwin' a shield at him, I did! After he calmed down an' returned to the depths o' the forest, I showed our Pure-Hearted One here how to revive the springs an' get the Forest o' Plenty back to being plentiful!"

Shadow considered this. It did make sense as to how everything had changed last time he passed through the forest himself.

Just like Esther.

He pointed to Esther, doing a mime-act showing how she used to be scared, but now was fighting. "Um…" Oliver responded, not quite understanding.

"Ah, ye knew Esthy-girl, eh?" Drippy guessed, and Shadow nodded. "Pooer dab used to be heartbroken-like, scared like a mouse she was! Mending her heart was no easy task, but as you can see th' problem's been solved!"

"What are you all talking about?" Esther asked, walking over.

"Shadow was asking questions about a few things," Oliver replied, looking at Shadow. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

Shadow looked at the book… there were so many pictures of so much.

Yet, he couldn't understand what it all meant through just pictures.

If he wanted to learn to be more useful, he had to learn a few more basics.

He pointed to the book, running his fingers along a sentence, then giving them a confused shrug. "You want to learn to read? …Oh yeah, you did mention you didn't know how." Esther guessed, and he nodded. "Didn't Swaine ever try to teach you?"

"Probably never considered it, having theft on his mind so much," Drippy quipped.

"(Guys,)" Oliver hissed in warning. He turned to Shadow. "We can help you learn." He turned the pages of his book, coming across a glossary. "I remember when I came to this world, I had to translate a lot of words."

"I used to have a picture-book that helped me learn when I was little- next time we stop for supplies, I can help you find one!" Esther offered.

Shadow smiled, nodding in appreciation. Oliver reached into his pack, pulling out a pad and a sheet of paper, showing Shadow the different letters and the sounds they made.

Ever diligent, the beggar paid close attention.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Two hours had passed since Swaine went down to the galley, having returned to his room afterwards for a quick rest. Of course, his excitement for returning to his homeland kept him from dosing off…

Mostly because he was still trying to figure out an approach for his return.

Thankfully, his tactics would be easier now that he met Oliver and Esther. He could go with the excuse that he was just helping the two get into the palace- then he could figure out what was going on with Marcassin, fix the problem, then…

…

Then what? Return to his life as a pick-pocket?

He shook his head. No, he wasn't going back to that kind of life again. Oliver already went through the trouble mending his heart- it was time for a new start.

Standing up from his hammock and stretching, he decided to head back on deck, seeing the weather conditions had altered quite rapidly, as dark clouds could be seen rolling in from the distance. He sighed- oh well, as long as it was just a bit of rain, it shouldn't affect the trip too much.

Across the deck he saw Shadow sitting with Oliver. "Very good. Now, try to spell the word 'Magic'…" the wizard was coaxing, while pointing at a page in his book, helping the beggar sound out the given word.

 _He's learning to read, huh?_ Swaine pondered, having to lean against the mast for a moment to watch. He had to grin, seeing the concentrated look on Shadow's face. It reminded him of how he used to look, whenever he drew up blueprints as a young teen.

Esther walked over to him. "I figured you would be sleeping the whole voyage," she quipped.

"Kind of hard to sleep on a rocking ship- you'll learn that soon enough." Swaine retorted. He pointed at Oliver and Shadow. "So, how long has this little lesson been going on for?"

Esther looked over and had to smile. "Quite a while now. Shadow is so eager to learn- I think the only time they took a break was to eat!" she then looked at the thief, hands on hips. "Question is… why didn't you ever teach him? Certainly you could have had time out of your 'busy schedule' to show him the basics,"

Swaine looked at Shadow… he remembered how the kid showed he couldn't even spell his name…

"I never had time- we were always having to get food or supplies, fight off monsters, or skip a town. When it came to such things… well, I kept hoping he would change his mind and go find someone else to live with."

Esther cocked her head. "You mean he just started travelling with you on his own?"

"I don't understand it myself. One day he just started trailing me…" he frowned a bit, remembering 'that' incident. "…at one point, I tried to convince him to stay away- that being with a thief was no life for a little kid, and left him behind. I figured he would have gotten the message and gave up- but he proved resilient, returning stronger and more determined than before."

"He must really like you."

Swaine grinned. "Well, I do have quite a few amazing skills, and deem myself quite a lovable person."

Esther rolled her eyes. "I wonder how I could have missed it," she scoffed in sarcasm.

Swaine turned to her, ready to give a smart-assed retort, but was cut off by a flash of lighting and rain began to pour down. "Oh, bloody hell…" he groused.

Across the deck, Oliver and Shadow quickly stuffed the paper and book into the young wizard's pack before it could get drenched. "We'll continue later," Oliver promised, walking across the deck and looking over the railing.

The wind began to pick up, as well as the flashes of lighting. "I don't think this storm's gonna let up!" Drippy pointed out.

Swaine looked up at the sky, finding the clouds were growing darker. Strange… it was mid-afternoon when he came up, but now it looked as dark as night. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, as he felt something was wrong.

Shadow stood close to him as if feeling the same thing… then made a sound.

A gasp.

He gripped Swaine's arm so tightly it felt as if he were trying to cut off his blood circulation; he yanked and pulled on the thief's sleeve, pointing upward.

Swaine looked, and his eyes widened.

"W-Who the hell is that?!" He screamed, as he and the others looked up at a shrouded figure, hovering before them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Shadar.

All color drained from Shadow's face when the Dark Djinn hovered before them.

"Shadar! Where's Alicia?!" Oliver was shouting. The beggar looked at him- the young wizard, only three years older than he was, stood his ground at the sight of such a threat.

"So you still seek the truth. Tell me, boy, how much are you willing to find out?" Shadar questioned him. He then turned and looked directly at Shadow, releasing a malicious chuckle. "How far are any of you willing to go, to find what you're after?"

"W-What are you talking about?!" Swaine demanded.

"Tell us where Alicia is! We're not going to give up until we free her!" Oliver snapped in determination.

Shadar cackled, lowering himself onto the deck. "In that case… show me the extent of your power!" he exclaimed.

That's when the battle began.

"Shadow- go below deck!" Swaine shouted, shoving the beggar towards the stairs. He drew his gun, summoned Gunther, and attacked Shadar alongside the others.

Shadow hurried to the stairs, but as slick as the deck was it deemed difficult. Instead he hid behind a stack of barrels, watching the fight.

It wasn't looking good.

Oliver and Swaine were striking the Dark Djinn with every Spell or Trick-Shot they knew; Esther, in the meantime, had her own familiars attack. But Shadar proved strong- even worse, had his own attacks up his sleeve.

" _Bleak Midwinter…"_ The Dark Djinn chanted, striking everyone with the spell. He then began to rush the others, teleporting himself in different spots to catch them off guard. He appeared behind Esther as she was playing a healing hymn-

"Reowr!" Salem leaped in front of him, slicing the fiend on the hand.

A rock then hit Shadar in the back, and he turned around, facing Shadow. "So… you decided to join the fight, did you?" he stated.

Shadow stood his ground, though his heart was racing with fear. The Dark Djinn struck him with fear for a number of reasons, and he had doubts he would survive this fight… but damn it all, he couldn't just hide like a coward and let everyone get hurt!

"Well? Do you have anything to say?" Shadar chuckled. "Oh, that's right… You cannot speak at all, can you? So much to say, but with no way to say it,"

Salem hissed, lunging at Shadar, but the Dark Djinn disappeared, reappearing behind Shadow. The boy turned around, finding himself face-to-face with a shrouded face.

*Fwoosh!*

Suddenly, the Dark Djinn found himself engulfed in flames. Shadow backed away, looking over and seeing Oliver hovering nearby, fire shooting from his wand. Once the spell was complete, he stood on the ground, the fight still in him.

But it was the same for Shadar; despite such a mighty spell was cast upon him, the fiend stood standing. He cackled. "Is that all you can do, boy?" he stated, hovering up to the sky.

"Shadar!" Oliver yelled.

"I have one more test for you… let us see if you can survive this time!" With that, Shadar disappeared.

Lighting flashed, as a large hole formed in the sky…

Shadow gawked. In the middle of the sky was a large eye! "W-What is that thing?!" Swaine cried, hanging onto the mast as the storm began to grow worse.

"It be the Eye of the Storm! Ain't a sailor alive that's stared into it an' lived!" Sindbah cried.

The ship began to rock. Shadow tried to run to the mast where Swaine and Esther were hanging on, but the deck was too slick!

"Whoa- whooooaaaa!" Oliver cried, slipping and sliding into him as a large wave caused the entire ship to tilt sideways!

Had he the voice, Shadow would scream as they both fell over the railing, dropping into the ocean.

Both of them thrashed in the waves; he looked, seeing Oliver was beginning to sink! Shadow struggled to swim over to him, managing to grab onto the wizard's cape, but only ended up going under as well.

He tried to swim up…

The riot on the surface grew further upward…

He was having trouble holding his breath…

He blacked out.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _Shadar…_

 _He remembered him all too well…_

 _They met out in the Rolling Hills by a lake, after his mother had died._

 _The stone was planted in his cap, but the Dark Djinn didn't know._

" _A young orphan, on a quest… Ha. What can one child do without the support of a guardian?" Shadar rasped._

" _More than you think, you Damned Djinn!" The orphan snapped- the last time he ever spoke. "Break my heart if you want- but I will keep searching until I find who I'm looking for!"_

"' _Who'? …Ah, I see. The one your mother wanted to find- before she bore a child, and had to put her dreams on hold in order to raise her son… living near the same town where those who held disdain for her still loomed, afraid to go and gather supplies on her own. All because she had a child she could not lose… and yet living in wild conditions affected her health- she needed the proper medical resources to survive, her immune system began to grow frail…"_

" _Shut up! Shut up you rotten bastard!"_

" _Because I speak the truth? Your mother could not travel far with a child. A shame, then perhaps she could have found who you're looking for… Is that why you are on this quest, boy? To complete the dream your mother had to give up for your sake? To make up for holding her back?"_

" _I said shut up you wretch!" Shadow picked up a rock and threw it at him._

 _Shadar ducked. "'Shut up', should I? Perhaps it's time for someone to teach you to watch your words, child!"_

" _Do what you want! I won't give up until I find him, no matter what piece of my heart you take!"_

" _Oh, but I won't be taking a piece of your heart…" Shadar's hand glowed, and a golden tendril shot forth-_

 _The boy gasped as it hit his diaphragm, choking as something was pulled out within him… the tendril retreated, pulling a small white orb with it. Shadar grasped it, the white orb dispersing in his clutch._

 _He tried to scream, to yell, to whisper… but no sound came out. He looked up at Shadar in horror._

 _The Dark Djinn chuckled. "…Let us see how far you'll succeed in your quest, without a voice."_

 _And then he vanished, leaving the boy to cry in muted sobs._


	20. Shipwrecked Detour

_They were floating in the water…_

 _Shadow clung to Oliver's cape as if it were a lifeline…_

 _A white light suddenly shined around them, carrying them towards a beach…_

…

"Shadow! Speak to me! …Er, or do something!"

Shadow groaned, his vision blurry. He sat up, coughing out sea water, rolling over so that he was on his knees, hacking; a hand patted him on the back, helping him clear his lungs. He looked up at Swaine, giving a weak smile and a thumbs-up.

The thief sighed. "Don't scare me like that, kid…" he rubbed his back.

"Oliver! Oliver!" Esther was calling; Shadow looked over, seeing that the wizard was lying on the beach as well. "Can you hear me? Oh, please wake up…"

Swaine and Shadow hurried over, watching as Oliver stirred, sitting up. "Esther…? Swaine? Shadow?" he murmured, rubbing his head. "What happened?"

"You and Shadow fell overboard during the storm! Suddenly the boat hit a reef… and we found you two washed up on the beach!" Esther said, relieved to see him awake and well.

"Lucky ye did! No sailor has ever looked into the Eye of the Storm and survived!" Sindbah exclaimed, joining the conversation. "All at once, the storm passed! It be a miracle we all survived!"

"Miracle…? Hmm… I wonder if Pea had something to do with it," Oliver wondered to himself.

Shadow cocked his head. "What are you talking about?" Swaine asked, equally confused.

"Never mind. Captain, is everyone alright?" Oliver asked.

"We'd be fine, lad… however the Sea Cow has seen better days," Sindbah said, looking at the ship; Shadow's eyes widened- the boat was tilted, with a gaping hole in the hull. "She'd be in need of repairs,"

"Well, how long will it take to repair it? We still need to get to Autumnia!" Swaine asked, a bit antsy.

"Keep yer hair on, mate! You'll be waiting quite a while- it will be at least a week before we're ready to sail again!"

Shadow looked at Swaine; the thief seemed impatient, letting out a groan. "Seriously…?" he looked at the kids who were giving him a look, and he shrugged. "Alright, I guess it won't hurt to do a little sunbathing and relax a little."

Shadow beamed. He did gestures, miming building sandcastles, going swimming, and collecting interesting items while exploring the beach. "Hee hee, Shadow seems to agree!" Esther giggled.

"Do you need any help with the repairs, captain?" Oliver asked Sindbah.

"I believe the most you can do is search for some food and any useful items we may need once our voyage continues," Sindbah responded.

"Lets get to looking then- this island should have something useful… hopefully." Swaine muttered, a bit bummed out about his chance for relaxation being delayed for salvaging.

"Wait… Where's Mr. Drippy?" Oliver asked. Shadow paused- he suddenly did notice things were unusually… quiet. They spotted the fairy over by the shore, staring out at the horizon. "Mr. Drippy!"

Shadow studied the fairy- usually he was full of energy, but he appeared solemn. "Oh, Ollie-boy! Sorry, I was just thinking," he said.

The beggar had to sneer. He and Oliver had been passed out on the beach for Lord knows how long, and the fairy had yet to ask how they were doing? He crossed his arms, giving the fairy a look that read, 'Well? Aren't you forgetting something?'

The fairy didn't get the hint. "What's with th' kid?"

"I bet he'd ask you the same thing. Is something wrong, Drippy?" Esther asked.

"Nah, mun! I'm fine! …Tidy, then, shall we get to sailing?"

Seriously?! Did the fairy fail to notice the ship was on its side and had a gaping hole in its side?!

"Are you kidding? The ship isn't fit to sail!" Swaine scoffed, crossing his arms as well. "We're going to be here at least a week,"

"A WEEK?! FLIPPIN' HECK! ARE YOU SERIOUS? A WHOLE FLIPPIN' WEEK?!" Drippy exclaimed, acting as if the thief told him the island was about to explode in five minutes!

"Mr. Drippy…? Are you sure you're okay?" Oliver questioned, suspicious of the fairy's actions.

"I told you I'm fine!"

"Well then, you can come with us. We have to search the island for provisions!" Esther stated.

"What?! …Nah, mun! There's nothing on this island! I can tell from here!" Drippy then turned back towards the ocean. "Why don't we just sit back and enjoy the view? …Ah, proper nice, it is."

Shadow arched an eyebrow. There was nothing to see but miles of flat ocean. He rolled his eyes, looking up at Swaine. "Yeah. I agree," the thief whispered.

"Don't be ridiculous, Drippy. Now c'mon- there's so much we could find! It may be fun!" Esther proclaimed.

"Kniiiiiiiickeeeeerrrrrs…!" Drippy moaned.

Shadow and Swaine looked at each other; the thief smirked while the beggar stifled a snicker, both of them enjoying the fairy's lament.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The enjoyment died out after they walked on the beach a way's, coming across trouble. Swaine then took this opportunity to inform the group of a couple battle methods he learned long ago- All-Out Attack and All-Out Defense. "When an enemy is tuckered from a bout, we can all gang up on it; but if it's about to pull a nasty trick, that's when we all need to keep our defenses up," he said.

As they explored, the group practiced these methods; when a creature was down, they gave it their all; when one of their enemies was preparing to unleash a trick, Oliver, Esther or Swaine would cry out a warning and everyone would shield themselves.

During most of their battles, Esther would tame new familiars. Once they reached one side of the island, they realized their battle practice had gone on a little long, as the sun was already going down. "Well! Better head back to the ship!" Drippy exclaimed in a haste.

A howl in the distance said otherwise. "I don't think so, Drippy. We'll have to find shelter for the night- a lot of wild creatures come out when it's dark, and it would be easy to get swarmed!" Esther stated.

Shadow walked over to a stream, searching for any fresh water they could use… then noticed it led into a cave. He let out a whistle, getting the group's attention, and pointed towards it. Everyone walked inside, Swaine and Shadow keeping their gun and sling-shot out in case any creatures already took up residence; thankfully, all that was inside were a few crabs… and just their luck, a few chests that had been left behind!

Swaine switched his gun to its grappling-hook function, spotting a green chest up above and shooting, finding a sundae hidden inside; Oliver, Esther and Shadow found a Sage's Secret, cheeseburger, and fairy chocolate in others. "We can camp here for the night," Oliver suggested, finding a trunk that had a couple dry blankets inside it.

"You read my mind," Swaine said, walking over and breaking a few old spears, getting to work starting a fire. "Who wants to take the first watch?"

"Me! I'll do it!" Drippy exclaimed.

Esther shook her head. "You've been too uptight all day. Get some rest; I'll take the first watch,"

Shadow raised his hand, eagerly. "Heh, alright, you can help her- but don't get in a mood if you're sluggish tomorrow," Swaine stated, lying down on one of the blankets.

"Goodnight everyone," Oliver said, lying down as well.

"…yeah, 'night 'n' all that…" Drippy muttered, forcing himself to lie down.

Esther giggled, and she and Shadow started their watch.

Once everyone was fast asleep, she decided to pick up where Oliver left off and decided to help the beggar learn to write. "Very good… oh, that word is actually spelled with two 'R's," she lectured quietly.

Shadow nodded, rewriting the word 'Purrloiner'. It was easy for him to understand what each letter sounded out, since there was a time he could speak before… but it was the spelling that was difficult. It was times like this he wished some traveler had a book to lend his mother, as books in the dell didn't come cheap enough. His mother once tried teaching him via tracing letters in the dirt when he was eight, but only managed to teach him the full alphabet before she started to feel sick.

After that, she could hardly teach him anything. He had to start going out on his own, getting them supplies, training with Salem alone. The thought of learning to read and write never crossing his mind until the day he lost his voice, and needed a new way to communicate.

He looked at the list of words he copied down. They were all from the Wizard's Companion, the young wizard having taught him about the different uses of potions and such; Esther, this time, was helping him spell the names of different creatures, while helping him spell out words in a different sentence.

"Let's stop here for the night," Esther replied, closing the book and putting it back in Oliver's bottomless bag, which the group shared. She looked at the beggar; he was still practicing some words. His handwriting was a bit crooked, and he seemed to be thinking. "May I ask you something?"

Shadow nodded.

"Why do you hang out with Swaine?" She looked over at the older man, deep asleep. "He said one day you just decided to follow him around, despite he was a thief."

The beggar shrugged, as if to say he didn't care.

"Surely there must be some reason…" Esther looked at the paper he was writing on; of course he had been practicing his spelling so much there wasn't enough room, and he had been writing very tiny letters that were hard to make out.

Shadow hid the note, giving her a look as if to say, 'No peeking!'

"Oh, sorry." Esther looked back over at Swaine. "I'm just curious… You seem like a sweet little boy; how could you put up with such a shady character?"

The beggar unleashed a sigh. It was true, it took a lot of willpower to stay with Swaine… but it would be worth it. He looked at the paper, writing his answer on a tiny space left: 'itz werth it'.

Esther read it, and giggled. "…if you're going to write down answers, at least let me help you spell." She then used the pen to correct his error, while speaking to him. "But I suppose I shouldn't prod. You must see something in him that I don't… and if it's anything good, well, I won't question it. You two seem to have a good bond, if you care so much about him."

Shadow smiled, giving a firm nod.

The familiar tamer smiled back, then stifled a yawn. She looked out the cave entrance, seeing the moon was high. "It's been a few hours… How about we wake the others and get our sleep?"

The beggar agreed; waking up Oliver and Drippy, the two switched out for night-watch.

As Esther lied down, she looked over, watching as Shadow curled up close to Swaine. The familiar-tamer smiled to herself, having a notion on the reasons behind the lad's determination in sticking with such a rugged thief, but kept the thoughts to herself. To her, it was quite sweet- after all, every time she saw the boy in Al-Mamoon, he was a lonely orphan… and now he found himself a guardian. Why a thief, of all people, she didn't know, but had a few guesses to herself.

But she would keep quiet about it, until Shadow told the thief himself.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Later the next morning, the group continued their exploration of the island… despite Drippy's constant objections.

While walking through the small forest, however, they heard a voice calling out his name! " _Mmmm? Drippy! Is that you?"_ it called, sounding feminine. _"Finally decided to come 'round, did ya now?"_

"Who was that?" Oliver asked.

"Er, no one! Nothing! I didn't hear a thing!" Drippy lied, growing flustered every moment.

" _Ah, so cheeky! I thought you had better manners than that!"_ the voice huffed.

Shadow looked at how uneasy Drippy looked, then turned in the direction the voice was coming from, a smirk on his face… and ran ahead! "Hey! Shadow! Wait up!" Swaine called.

"Gaaaaaaah! Not that way! Oi, Thief-Face, put that kid o' youers on a leash, would ya?!" Drippy sputtered, as the whole group followed Shadow.

The little beggar slowed down a bit as he noticed lights up ahead… and the group found themselves at the entrance of a tiny village- full of fairies! Shadow looked around in awe, the group sticking by him with similar interest. "Look at the little houses! They're so cute!" Esther giggled.

"I didn't know there were other fairies like Mister Drippy…" Oliver replied, then looked at the fairy in question. "Hey, Mister Drippy, how come you never told us about this place?"

"Cuz it wasn't worth mentioning, mun! C'mon, lets head back to the ship…" Drippy retorted sharply.

"What's with you, all of a sudden?" Swaine questioned, arching an eyebrow. Shadow gave his own suspicious glance- they both figured the fairy was definitely hiding something!

"Nothing! It's nothing at all! …Gah!" He quickly ran and hid behind the others, as more fairies approached them!

"Lookit that, mun! Humans!" one fairy stated.

"Odd-looking bunch, aren't they?" another fairy added.

Shadow put his hands on his hips. Odd-looking? This coming from a fairy with huge horns sticking out of his head with a lopsided ring around one!

"Um, hello there." Oliver spoke up. "What is this place?"

"Why it's the Fairygrounds, mun! Home of the Faye Folk!" a third fairy spoke up. "It's a town known for its wit- come on by to crack a laugh, it's what we're best known for!"

"Aye, ye don't get to be a fairy 'less ye can get a chuckle outta someone!" the first fairy spoke up.

"Wait a minute…" The second fairy looked over. "Flippin' heck! Drippy boy! Is that you?!"

"(Oh, knickers…)" Drippy quietly cursed, stepping out. "Aye, it's me. How do,"

"Oi, mun! Long time no see! What've you been up to?" the first fairy asked.

"Aye! Tee-Heeti has been awfully quiet without you stirring up things!" the third added.

"Oh, ya know, just this and that… well! Nice seeing you lot, but we should really get going-!" Drippy said hastily, as if really wanting to leave.

"No way, mun! Mam'll be tickled to see you again! C'mon!" With that, the rest of the fairies hoisted him up and carried him off!

"No! Wait! Gah! Oh, knickeerrrrrs..!"

Shadow blinked, confused. What was THAT all about?

"Er, you think we should help him?" Oliver asked the group.

"Hmph. I say it serves him right for acting so brash," Esther replied, then smiled. "C'mon! Let's see what's going on!"

"Yeah. I wouldn't miss seeing the Lord High Lord of the Loudmouths face embarrassment," Swaine agreed with a smirk.

Shadow took out a piece of paper, writing something on it and showing it to the thief; one look and the older man chuckled.

Esther looked at the note, but had to sigh, shaking her head but smiling. "You spelled 'popcorn' wrong,"

0o0o0o0o0o0

 **Reviewer Thanks**

 **WolfGirl01:** Thanks for the review, I appreciate it. As for why Shadar pulled an 'Ursula' and stole Shadow's voice instead of his breaking his heart, I figured the Dark Djinn liked to use different methods during his reign of terror, via doing something that could result in heart-break. For instance, he stole Esther's courage in order to punish Rashaad, and in turn he grew bitter (which I believe caused Rusty in Motorville to eventually lose his kindness with all the bitterness building up with him). By stealing Shadow's voice, he made his quest a lot harder than it was intended to be.

 **Random Fangirl:** Thank you for keeping your assumptions to yourself- much like Esther lol! As for the role Shadow plays, I'm hoping to make sure he's a useful asset to the team… if not help us see different sides of Swaine ^^

 **Please keep the reviews coming, I really appreciate the feedback. (NO FLAMES THOUGH!)**


	21. The Strangest Request Ever!

Shadow didn't know what to expect as the group walked around the small village in search for Drippy. It was strange walking through the tiny town; it wasn't every day he saw shops that he almost surpassed in height!

During their search, the group ended up getting sidetracked in exploration. Esther giggled, seeing a few fairies were dressed like shop-keeps such as the Hootenanny, Cawtermaster, and Purrprioter; he walked over to Oliver who was reporting bounties to the fairy at Swift Solutions, while also turning in a few merit cards. Shadow watched him with curiosity.

"I like to help people," Oliver explained to him when he caught the younger boy in his observation. "I get merit cards that get filled out whenever I complete a request or bounty hunt. When they get filled out, I can turn them in for prizes; I'm saving them up now- -the more I turn in, the better things I can get,"

Shadow scratched his head. Why he and Swaine never tried using Swift Solutions to get by, he didn't know… then again, he realized, as strong as the bounties sounded and as crooked as Swaine had been, it would have been a chore in itself to complete anything; they hadn't been that strong to hold their own against stronger enemies, and no doubt the older man was too self-centered to help out others.

That was over with now, though. They were travelling with a powerful young wizard, a creature-taming harpist, and a fairy… what the fairy could do, he didn't quite know yet… With these new friends, and Swaine's heart mended, perhaps they could start.

As if he could read his mind, Oliver nodded over to the thief. "Why don't you and Swaine sign up? I can put your names on my account, then when you guys help me complete a quest or bounty, you can get a share of the prizes."

Nodding eagerly, the two boys ran over to Swaine, who was knelt down by a tiny restaurant, sipping a coffee while the fairy running the stand told him a funny story, almost making the older man snort out his beverage. "Okay, now THAT was pretty lewd-" Swaine was responding when he noticed the two boys. He coughed and cleared his throat. "…but very inappropriate. *ahem* What's up, guys?"

While Oliver was asking Swaine about signing up at Swift Solutions, Shadow was a bit astounded. He never saw Swaine laugh so hard he almost spewed a drink! He heard him chuckle, but not a genuine laugh. …As disgruntled as he always appeared, the boy had wondered if he even knew how.

"Yeah, sounds good to me," Swaine replied to Oliver. "I think I could be of use for the bounty hunts- there hasn't been a single creature that could survive my Trick-Shots,"

The lad looked at his sling-shot, sheepishly hiding it behind his back.

"There you are!" Esther exclaimed, coming around a corner. "I found out where Drippy is- one of the fairies said he was ushered across the bridge!"

"Heh, almost forgot we were looking for him," Swaine responded in nonchalance.

"C'mon, we can explore later—let's see what Mister Drippy is up to!" Oliver told them, and they hurried down the path and across a bridge. They had to go one at a time- as narrow as it was, there was a chance it could collapse under their combined weight.

Once across they found a ladder leading up to a platform, hearing Drippy's voice- the fairy seemed to be complaining to someone.

" _You know, mun! 'Her'~!"_ came the voice they had heard in the forest.

The group began climbing up the ladder; halfway up, Shadow had to pause and made the mistake of looking down. He gulped- compared to the tree he fell out of last month, a fall from the top would probably break every bone in his body!

A tip of a shoe tapped his head. "Don't look down," Swaine told him. Nodding, Shadow kept his eyes above until they reached the platform.

" _Had a nice name… I think it rhymed with… hippopotamus!"_ the mysterious voice was bubbling.

"Give it up, will ya?!" Drippy snapped, discouraged.

The group paused. Shadow had to tilt his head upward, almost falling back over the edge had Esther not steadied him. Sitting before them was a massive… well, he couldn't place a name for it yet, but the being before them was larger than Gladiataur!

"Jeepers!" Oliver was the first to gasp, catching Drippy's attention.

"Ah, I see youer friends have arrived! …Go on, Drippy-boy, introduce them! Don't be rude, now!" the massive being lightly prodded.

"Aye, I know I know… Ollie-boy, this be my Mam, Fairy Godmother. She's th' mother of all us fairies, see." Drippy replied.

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am," Oliver said, politely. "These are my friends- Esther, Swaine, and Shadow," Esther gave a curtsy, Swaine gave a short nod, and Shadow took off his hat and gave a bow when the wizard introduced them.

"Such a well-mannered boy… More than I can say 'bout my son, here. So stubborn he is! Why, he never shuts off that lantern of his!" Fairy Godmother exclaimed.

"I can't turn it off, how many times do I have to tell ya that?!" Drippy retorted. Shadow let out a snort, finding the fairy's irritation amusing; Drippy turned to him. "You hush! (for a mute, ye sure make a lot of noise…)"

"Oh? Hmm…" Fairy Godmother suddenly developed an inquisitive look on her face. "My, Drippy… have ye lost weight? Used to be a plump little thing when you were a littlie…"

The fairy rolled his eyes, seeing through her smooth-talk. "What're you getting at, now?"

"I was just wondering… would you and youer friends mind looking inside me guts?"

…

 _What?!_

"Huh?!" The whole group reacted.

"Geez! Ask right out of the blue, why don't ya…!" Drippy groaned in embarrassment. This time the beggar didn't laugh- couldn't laugh! What was she talking about?!

"I'm sorry, but… what?!" Swaine sputtered.

"It's th' Littlies, you see- they haven't come out yet, for some reason!" Fairy Godmother explained. "Would ye mind going on in and taking a look-see?"

…

 _WHAT?!_

Shadow could only blink. Going in her guts? Checking on 'littlies'? What was this woman talking about?!

The group was just as confused. "I-I don't understand…" Oliver stated.

"Well, ya see lad, Littlies live inside me guts, and when they're big enough, they pop on out! That's how fairies are born, y'see," Fairy Godmother explained. "They were supposed to be out by now, but for some reason, they haven't made th' attempt!"

"That does sound serious…" Esther replied with a thoughtful look.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to look," Oliver agreed. "But… um… how are we supposed to… look inside?"

"(I don't feel comfortable playing the role for midwifery, thank you very much)." Swaine sternly whispered.

"It ain't so complicated mun… all we have to do is make Mam laugh!" Drippy exclaimed.

"Laugh? Why?" Oliver asked.

"In order to get inside her mouth- an' th' only way it'll be wide enough for us to do that is if she's bustin' into guffaws, like."

…

 _ **WHAT?!**_

Shadow gawked.

"Aye! Jus' like that!" Drippy said, noting the lad's stunned expression.

"I've heard a lot of weird things in my life, but this is… this is… I don't know what this is!" Swaine sputtered, just as uncomfortable.

"Well, we have to do it- otherwise, those Littlies may never be born!"

"O-Okay… so, how do we make her laugh?" Oliver asked.

"It's easy mun! See, we fairies have th' knack for humor! Laughter's what we live for! In fact, I used to be at th' top in th' comedy biz!"

"Alright, then tell some jokes and help her laugh," Oliver insisted.

"Nah, mun, I can't laugh at old material. It has to be something new- the funnier th' act, the bigger th' laugh!" Fairy Godmother replied.

"Aye, an' I'd be a bit rusty in the joke department, anyway." Drippy added. "But I bet a few of me butties at th' Cavity Club may have some material to lend!"

"Aye indeed! Smiley 'n' Surely have taken over th' stand-up. Perhaps they can put on a show- been a while since they have,"

"Alright, let's go then!" Oliver declared, and the group made their way off the platform.

…

Save for Shadow, who just stood there in confusion for a moment, slowly making his way down the ladder while his mind tried to straighten out the situation: they had to make a giant fairy laugh in order to get swallowed up and help her give birth to baby fairies?

He wasn't familiar with the concept of birth. The only thing that came close was when one of the forest dwellers' familiars was pregnant, and he watched it give birth to an offspring. Despite his lack of knowledge, he highly doubted the process involved someone getting swallowed while the maternal creature was laughing! In fact, in the medical hut in the village, he would hear a pregnant woman screaming in pain, followed by a baby's cry!

The boy shook his head. Perhaps fairies- like all kinds of creatures- had different ways of baring offspring. Some creatures came from eggs, others were birthed… fairies, obviously, had a very weird way of being born.

A very, very, VERY weird way.

…he may never sleep again…

"Shadow? Shadow!" Oliver called, helping the boy snap back to reality; turns out the little beggar was wandering down a different path. "Over here!"

Shadow quickly hurried over to the group; they were approaching a small mouth-like amphitheater where two other fairies stood- one with an ever-present smile, the other with pouted lips. They were telling a joke… at least, he figured that was the intention; as numb as their voices were, and the way their audience (consisting of just one sleeping fairy after two more walked off) was reacting, it was clear their humor had fallen flat.

"Smiley! Surely!" Drippy called.

"Drippy-boy! Long time no see!" Smiley exclaimed. "How do, mun?"

"What brings ye by? Finally get bored runnin' 'round th' world?" Surely asked.

"Never mind that now, boys. We got ouerselves a situation- th' Littlies ain't comin' out, an' Mam needs to laugh so we can check it out!" Drippy explained. "So! How 'bout doin' some stand-up an' lending us a hand?"

"Ehhh… hate to break it to ya, mun, but ouer act ain't exactly bringin' in th' crowds these days," Smiley pointed out. "Not that we're not trying! It's just… well ouer material- it's not exactly good, so to say-"

"It stinks," Surely put bluntly.

Drippy looked at the two of them, a look of surprise and disappointment on his face. "What happened to ye two? Th' two of ya could knock 'em dead back in th' day!"

"I guess we just lost ouer touch, mun." Smiley said, then got dramatic. "What a way… Looks like th' act is finally splitting up!"

"We ain't splitting up, mun!" Surely snapped.

"Hmm… I see… Ah! That's it! I know how we can help ye two!" Drippy turned to Oliver. "C'mon, Ollie-boy! We got work to do!"

"What do we have to do?" Oliver asked, curiously.

"It just so happens my butties here are _art_ -broken; we need to go 'round 'n' collect pieces o' art an' give it to them, help 'em get a burst of inspiration like!"

"So it's like mending hearts… Okay! Sounds simple enough," Esther stated. "We just have to find a fairy with a piece of art to give to them,"

"I said 'pieces', lass. It takes a lotta material to keep a crowd roarin', like," Drippy looked at his two fairy friends. "I'd say we'll need at least 8 pieces, that should be enough to cover it,"

"Alright, lets go around and look," Oliver replied with a nod.

"Tidy! Be right back, boys- we'll help ya get youer act together before ye know it!"

"Right-o! I'll just practice my solo act, in th' meantime!" Smiley exclaimed.

"Would ye stop that?!" Surely snapped.

The group hurried around the village; of course, after getting the first two pieces of art, Swaine, Esther and Shadow noticed they didn't exactly contribute much to the task- when it came to finding pieces of heart (or 'pieces of art' in this case), with Oliver's locket glowing near every suitable fairy, and Drippy pointing out who had what, it was clear they could handle the matter themselves.

Not wanting to feel like dead weight, the trio offered to do some errands. "It's been a while since we upgraded our equipment, and we haven't found anything for Swaine and Shadow's familiars to use," Esther stated. "Plus, we did need to find provisions for the crew,"

"Yeah, you two have a knack for this 'art-mending' more than we do- we can get supplies and meet you at the Cavity Club when we're done," Swaine added, while Shadow nodded.

"Okay, if you say so," Oliver replied with a nod.

"Don't dawdle too long- getting th' show on th' road is just Part One of ouer mission!" Drippy reminded them.

"Good luck!" Esther said, and the trio walked down the path; she reached into her pack, pulling out a small pouch of guilders. "Why don't we split up and visit different shops? That way we can save some time,"

"That works. I'll go to the Cawtermaster's," Swaine said, walking off.

"I'll be at the Hootenanny," Esther turned to Shadow. "Would you like to come with, or do you want to go with Swaine?"

Shadow looked back and forth. He looked at the slingshot once more; he needed a better weapon. He pointed towards Swaine, and began to follow him.

Esther shrugged. "I had a feeling that would be your choice," she said mainly to herself; she looked towards the Hootenanny, then back at the young boy.

Rubbing her chin, she got an idea and hurried over to the shop, making a request.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The first thing Swaine bought were badges to help boost their strength. Then he bought a new hammer for Gunther, and a new sword for Salem, as well as some nice armor their familiars could use. There was so much more he could buy… but they already spent 1,240g, and he didn't want to blow all their money.

It was then he noticed just how much restraint had been returned to him. In his heart-broken state, he would have splurged every last coin… if not swiped things he couldn't afford. He counted the money they had left- 50g. As expensive as the shops were around here, they didn't have much more to buy.

He looked over at Swift Solutions. He felt grateful that Oliver offered to share his benefits with the reformed thief. He closed his eyes, having to smile. _Just as nice as I remembered,_ he thought.

"Sorry, kid, but I can't buy that off ya," the Cawtermaster-fairy was stating. "No offense, it's a nice little tool, but it just doesn't have any worth to me. …Aw, don't gimme that look, mun. I'm sure some shopkeeper will want it!"

Swaine turned, seeing Shadow standing in front of the tiny shop… his sling-shot on the counter. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked the lad.

"Th' kid here wants to trade his little toy in… I think," the fairy answered. "Just put it up on th' counter, then pointed at th' other weapons,"

Swaine rested a hand on Shadow's shoulder. "Let me talk to him," he grabbed the sling-shot, guiding Shadow away from the shop and around a corner; the kid had a downhearted look on his face. Standing behind a tree, he knelt down in front of him. "Hey… what's going on? Why do you want to get rid of your weapon? What's wrong with it?"

Shadow shook his head. He pointed at Swaine's gun, mimicking his shooting techniques; he then grabbed a stick, thumbing over his shoulder in the direction Oliver had been, and waved it around; he then pretended to strum a harp, summoning Harper and having him pretend to swoon over to him.

Swaine watched every gesture. It was clear the boy was pointing out how skilled everyone was. "So? You're good with that sling-shot, and you've gotten stronger with it! Why give up something you're good at?"

Shadow shook his head, as if the thief didn't fully understand. He looked around, spotting a chest; he pointed at the gun again, then did a charade-bit where he shot a gun and obtained something (picking up a rock to improvise), then pretended to shoot at Harper who pretended to either fall asleep, become confused, or get poisoned.

The older man got the message. "Oh… I see," he sat down, having the kid sit down with him. "You don't think you have any special skills, huh?"

The boy nodded, his eyes filled with discontent. Swaine recognized that look too well- he would get the same look every time he worked on his guns the first time; whenever the trigger would jam, the hook wouldn't retract, or he would miss a shot, he always thought of himself as a failure.

It was a horrible feeling for him; there was nothing worse than feeling like your efforts didn't matter…

He rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Stick to what you know, kid; your skills will awaken eventually. You think I mastered gun-slinging overnight? That all my Trick-Shots came to me in a day? It takes time and practice… and so far you've made a lot of progress! Back on the ship, when I told you to run and hide, you joined the fight. Your familiar was pretty fierce and you did alright with your sling-shot; it wasn't enough to take out that damn djinn, but hell, none of us were... I mean, that's why Oliver needs to meet that Great Sage- he still needs to get stronger too,"

Shadow considered this, giving the older man a smile.

Swaine patted him on the back. He then looked at the sling-shot. "If you want, I can make some adjustments to this,"

The beggar handed over his weapon. Swaine looked it over a bit; the band was starting to wear out and could be shortened for better impact, the pouch looked like it was becoming unhinged, and the handle could use a better grip. This didn't surprise him- as much as Shadow used it, it was bound to start falling apart. He walked back over to the Cawtermaster, speaking with the fairy for a moment.

Five minutes later, his hands were at work; he kept his eyes on the project, though could still sense Shadow watching him in slight fascination, as if memorizing each detail so he could adjust it himself next time.

He took a bit of leather they gained from a fight, making a new pouch and making sure it was looped on the band secure enough; he then used tape to wrap around the handle not only for a better grip, but so it was less rough on the lad's palm; he shortened the band, making sure it was strong enough, giving it a few good tugs to test the strength.

Around this time, Esther came back from her errand. "Oh good, I found you; I just ran into Oliver- he only has two more pieces of art to find, so we should head back to the Cavity Club," she told them. She cocked her head at the project. "Hm? What are you doing?"

"Working on something," the thief replied bluntly; he was so concentrated on his work that he didn't even glance up. "There, finished. Tell me what you think,"

Shadow gave a nod in thanks, looking his sling-shot over. He gave the thief a thumbs up, then pointed towards the beach, pulling back the band and pretending to hit something.

"Heh, you can try it out later. Right now, we need to go meet up with Oliver,"

They began walking to the tiny amphitheater. "What was that about?" Esther asked the thief.

Swaine shrugged. "He wanted a better weapon, so I improved the one he had. It needed a touch-up, anyway."

"I see. That was… nice of you,"

He gave her a look. "What, you think I'm not capable of being kind?"

"Well, you haven't exactly shown any signs of sensitivity,"

"Oh, yeah, because I really want to look like a pansy on my first impression,"

Esther put her hands on her hips. "It's better than your first impression of being such a shady character!"

"Like you set a better impression, acting like a snarky-" Swaine stopped himself, looking forward. Esther followed his gaze.

Shadow was looking at them, his expression a mix of concern and irritation. The look clearly said, 'Stop fighting!'

The thief cleared his throat. "…Never mind. C'mon," he walked ahead, rubbing his face a bit.

He forgot how snarky that girl could be.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Once Smiley and Surely got their pieces of art, they were ready to hit the stage. "Just give us a mo to warm up, then we'll be ready!" Smiley stated.

"Well, we got our errands done, what should we do?" Esther asked Oliver.

Before the wizard could reply, Shadow quickly held up his sling-shot, eagerly pointing to the beach. "Heh, alright kid, we can go test it out," Swaine replied, getting the message first.

"I'll go with you; I want to practice your 'All Out' tactics a little more," Oliver added.

"Here, Shadow," Esther said, handing the beggar a bag. "I got some treats for your familiars."

Shadow nodded in thanks. He pointed at her, and at the beach, as if to ask, 'Are you coming with?'

"No thanks; I'm going to check on my familiars at the Retreat. I'm sure they need some attention," With that, she walked off.

"I'll come get ye lot when the show's ready to start." Drippy added.

"Really? You're not tagging along either, Mister Drippy?" Oliver asked, a bit surprised.

"Nah, mun, th' baddies 'round here en't that bad; just stay close to the village, an' you'll do fine. Meanwhile, I'm gonna check in on Smiley 'n' Surly, see if they need any pointers."

"O-Okay, if you say so…"

They went outside the village. With just the three of them, the battles took a few minutes longer, and the young wizard was in charge of healing. Shadow was impressed with the new effect of his sling-shot, though the suspension was a little tighter; after a bit of practice, he managed to pull back alright.

During their practice, Oliver offered to give Swaine a familiar. "My Thumblelemur doesn't respond to my commands very quickly- maybe he'll do better with you," the wizard said.

"Sounds alright… Here, you can try working with Gunther; he's been hesitating with me since I first found him." Swaine responded, as the two swapped familiars.

Sure enough, the swap worked, and Swaine himself had improved in battle. His Thumblelemur, Arsene, responded to his commands right away; Gunther was also compatible with Oliver. Shadow broke out Harper to help him get some experience, feeding his familiars treats Esther had given him to give them a boost.

Eventually their auras were strong enough to repel rogue creatures, and they made their way up the path towards the village. "So, how long have you two worked together?" Oliver asked, watching as Shadow fed Arsene a treat.

"We met over a month ago," Swaine replied, arms behind his head as he walked. "The kid here started following me around, wanted to travel with me, and despite my attempts to shake him, he kept on finding me. He made a great partner-in-crime, though."

"I see. So… if he can't talk, how did you find out his name was Shadow?"

The older man shrugged. "I didn't. Since he couldn't talk, I just gave him a nickname- Shadow was the only name that came to mind, since he followed me everywhere."

Oliver turned to Shadow. "And you're fine with that?" The beggar nodded. The wizard looked at the thief. "He must really look up to you,"

Swaine gave a humble shrug. "Well, what can I say? I'm a good guardian,"

Shadow rolled his eyes.

"I saw that!"

Drippy soon hollered at them, and they hurried back to the Cavity Club; it seemed like there had been a lot of hype about the show, because a crowd was forming around the stage.

Sitting in the crowd, the group watched Smiley and Surly do a stand-up routine; Smiley pretended to own a weapon's shop, with Surly as the customer. Throughout the whole act, the crowd was in an uproar of laughs.

For the second time that day, he heard Swaine laugh- harder than ever! The thief slapped his knee, busting into guffaws from the one-liners. It was something the beggar didn't think he'd ever see.

It made him wish he had a voice to laugh with. Sure he could giggle, chuckle, and snicker, but when he had the opportunity to burst out with mirth, all that seemed to come out was air.

He couldn't focus on such a sad thought now, though; not after hearing Swaine laugh hard enough to pop a lung.

The group heard Fairy Godmother's laughter echoing throughout the village. "Oh, that's funny right there!" she was calling.

"Tidy! Mam's mouth is wide open!" Drippy exclaimed, turning to the group. "C'mon, we'd better hurry! She won't keep cackling for long!"

"Alright, let's go!" Oliver exclaimed, and everyone followed Drippy across the bridge, back up to the platform. "So, how are we going to get inside?"

"Simple- brace yourselves!"

*KA-CHUNK!*

"AUGH!" the group screamed, falling through a trap door!

Shadow could only gasp as he found himself in darkness… squished between someone and someone else; he felt around, feeling cold iron walls… which were starting to rumble! Looking up he saw daylight… and suddenly the view tilted! Someone fell against him. Up ahead, he saw Drippy's tiny form crawling towards the hole, hollering at someone.

" _Alright, let the mission to Mam begin!"_

" _Ignition!"_

" _3… 2… 1…"_

Shadow froze. Were they…?!

" _BLAST OFF!"_

 _*BOOM!*_

…

Shadow was glad he couldn't scream, knowing his voice would be hitting the high notes as the group rocketed through the air from the cannon! Of course, Swaine's yell pretty much spoke for everyone…

" _I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS…!"_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 **Reviewer Thanks**

 **carol. :** Glad to hear you and your brother had fun with the game, and that you like Shadow :D And I'll explain more about Shadow's stone later on.

(Hope to hear more from reviewers- no flames though!)


	22. Battle in the Belly

"Oof!"

"Ah!"

"Ow!"

Shadow grunted, hitting the floor last. Looking up, he saw Drippy floating down, hands flapping like tiny wings. "Tidy! Everyone here in one piece, then?" the fairy casually asked.

"One pile, is more like it!" Swaine sneered.

"What is this place…?" Esther asked, standing up and looking around.

Shadow looked around, a bit perplexed. When Fairy Godmother talked about the group checking out her guts, he expected to see red walls of tissue, organs, veins, and intestines… not a pink floor, blue walls decorated with sun-shiny pictures, or little doors!

"This is where Fairy Life begins- the Faycare Center!" Drippy exclaimed.

"Oh, look! It's like a little school! Look at the cute pictures!" Esther giggled, looking at the walls.

Shadow cocked his head. School?

"Well, of course it's a little school, lass! Here, Littlies are raised up an' prepared for th' world outside!" Drippy explained as they walked down the hall. They came across a door with a tulip on it. "C'mon, lets check in- maybe th' young'uns are taking an extended naptime or some- _thing is in here!"_

Everyone gasped, seeing a rogue creature was inside the room! It looked like one of the sea-creatures they dealt with on the ship, only more vicious. Beyond it, standing there shaking, was a tiny, egg-shaped fairy.

"Yikes! We gotta do something!" Oliver exclaimed, and immediately the group leaped into action, fighting off the creature until it disappeared in a puff of smoke. Afterward, they checked on the Littlie. "Are you okay?"

"Scary, scary, proper scary!" the tiny fairy squeaked, still shaking.

"It's okay, it's gone now." Esther assured it, stroking its head.

"Are there any more Littlies in here?" Oliver asked.

"Doesn't look like it, mun, but we've still got a few other rooms to check." Drippy figured. "Chances are, if one beastie got in, there might be more out there!"

"Well, what are we waiting for? We have to help them!" Esther declared.

"Right!" Oliver turned back to the tiny fairy. "You wait here, okay? We're going to go find your friends,"

"No no no no! Stay with friends!" The Littlie begged, hugging the wizard's leg.

"Er… Mister Drippy?"

"Agh, best let him tag along, mun."

"But… he's just a baby! He's too little to come with us!"

Shadow put his hands on his hips. Tapping Oliver and getting his attention, he pointed at himself, Esther, then the young wizard. "…Shadow has a point. You lot aren't exactly adults yourselves," Swaine translated.

"Yeah, but… he's a lot smaller than the rest of us!"

"Scary! Scary! Scary alone! Waaaaah!" the Littlie whimpered.

"We have to take him, Oliver… It would be more dangerous to leave him alone," Esther stated.

"Aye- th' little omelet would be too scared to ever leave th' room, if we just ditched him now. Plus, it's good to teach kids that, though things seem scary, there'll be heroes to save th' day, right?" Drippy added.

Oliver considered this. "Alright. …Just be careful, okay?" He looked over at Shadow. "If we get into another fight, I want you to watch him, okay?"

Shadow gave a thumbs-up.

"Yay! Tidy tidy proper tidy!" the Littlie squealed with delight, bouncing up in down as it followed the group out of the room. It hopped into Shadow's arms, making the beggar smile.

Shouldn't be too hard, keeping an eye on a baby fairy. It would probably be fun!

…

…

…

Two rooms later, and he was done with 'fun'.

With each room there was a new creature, and more terrified Littlies; each time, Shadow had to stand out in the hall with the egg-shaped infants. At first they followed him around like a line of ducks, which was pretty cute… until two of them tried to dawdle off, three more wanted a piggyback ride, and one tried to rush back into the battle-filled room worried about its friends!

By the time they got the last of the bunch, Shadow was worn out! He wished he could ask- nay, BEG one of the others to trade places with him. Fighting creatures was a little easier than playing round-up with ragamuffins!

"Alright! Time for a head count!" Drippy exclaimed. "One, Two, Three, Four, Five- All the Littlies are still alive! Six, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten- Everyone's together again! There's eleven, there's a dozen- hey, that's Bevan, he's my cousin! Right-o, looks like we got them all!"

Shadow let out a relieved sigh. Thank goodness! If they had to find one more Littlie… chances are, he would never have an appetite for eggs again.

"Yay! Tidy tidy! Friends safe! Friends safe! Woo!" all the Littlies were exclaiming.

"Ugh, they're so annoying. Can we get out of here, soon?" Swaine muttered.

"Oh, hush. You have to admit, they pretty adorable!" Esther replied.

Shadow rolled his eyes- yeah, he thought the same thing before he ended up dog-piled by 1/3 of a well-balanced breakfast!

"Well, only one thing left to do! We have to send them down the slide!" Drippy exclaimed, leading the group down the hall.

"A slide?" Oliver questioned.

"Aye, it's Mam's way of teaching tough-love. Once ye go down, ye can't go back up!" Drippy exclaimed.

Shadow paused, finding a door they had yet to open. He knocked on it, getting the fairy's attention, and looking inside. Within was another room… this one with a fairy sitting at a table, a Way Stone, and a set of stairs! He pointed inside, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh, this is th' teacher's lounge mun. Heh, I remember when I always got sent here…" Drippy chuckled.

"Hey, there's stairs! Where do those lead?" Oliver asked.

"Outside, of course!"

"Wait… so we could have come in from this way the whole time?!" Swaine questioned.

"Aye, but it's not as fun,"

"Why don't we just leave this way, then?" Esther asked.

"Again, not as fun… plus, do ye really expect these tiny tykes to climb up all those stairs? Unless ye lot want to take several trips an' carry 'em up, it en't exactly an easy way to get out!"

"Whatever…" Swaine looked at the fairy seated at the table. "…And what have you been doing, while the Littlies were stuck in their rooms?"

"I'm on break, mun! Do ya mind?" the fairy retorted. Swaine threw up his arms, rolling his eyes and giving up.

Taking turns touching the Way Stone to heal their post-battle wounds and restore their magicka, the group made their way to the slide. "Alright, Littlies! Get ready for the Slidy Ride of your Tidy Lives!" Drippy exclaimed.

"Tidy Slidy! Tidy Slidy! Wheeeeeeeeee!" The Littlies all squealed, hopping to the edge of the slide and riding down.

Drippy turned to the group. "C'mon, you lot! Last one down is a rotten egg!" he exclaimed, hopping down himself.

"Why don't we just take the stairs?" Swaine asked.

"Like Drippy said- this is more fun! Woo-hoo!" Esther said, sliding down next!

"Wait for me!" Oliver called, following suit.

Shadow eagerly tugged Swaine. "Heh. You go ahead. I've had enough rides for today," the thief replied.

The beggar sighed, nodding… then yanked the thief with all his might, dragging him down the slide with him!

"Agh! Shadow! You little… whoooaaa!" the thief hollered as they slid down to the bottom. The older man stood up, ready to chew out the lad for his stunt… but didn't get the chance. "W-What the hell…?"

Shadow looked, stunned to see a giant jellyfish floating in the middle of their path!

"The Littlies!" Drippy shouted in alarm; the tiny fairies were stuck in the suction-cups of the monster's tendrils!

"What?! But we already saved them once!" Oliver sputtered.

"Sorry, Ollie-boy, but the future of the Fairy Race is at stake!"

"Do we have a choice?" Swaine commented, drawing his gun.

Shadow whipped out his sling-shot, as the Royal Jelly advanced on the group!

Everyone scattered, summoning their familiars for the fight. It was a difficult feat- they had to make sure not to harm the Littlies when attacking the giant Jelly, while having to avoid its tendrils. "Watch out for those tentacles! They work as stingers- one touch could stun you!" Esther warned, summoning an Adamantiger to fight.

The Royal Jelly then paused, before giving a spin… and suddenly, out popped several tiny jellies! "Ah, flip! It's a swarm!" Drippy cried, though noticed the Royal Jelly wasn't moving. "But it looks like it tuckered itself out! Now's a good time to give it a wallop! Let's go All-Out!"

"We can't! It still has the Littlies, and these smaller jellies are all over the place!" Oliver pointed out, having his familiar, Mitey, attack one jellyfish while he shot a Fireball at another.

Shadow had Salem hack and slice, while doing his best to shoot as many jellyfish as possible. Swaine was shooting at the Royal Jelly, while having Arsene watch his back against the swarm; Esther was using her hymns to keep everyone's health up, as the tiny jellies were zapping each team-mate.

Suddenly, a golden glim floated nearby. Everyone was either distracted or out of reach of it, leaving the beggar to rush up and grab it.

He felt a surge of power he had never felt before, as if he were suddenly invincible; all that appeared in his mind were two words:

 _Shooting Star_

As if by instinct, he whipped out his sling-shot, the rock in his hand suddenly aglow, and he took aim and fired!

 _*Ka-Pow! Pow! Pow!*_

Amazing! The stone suddenly exploded into an array of sparks, striking through each jellyfish in a zig-zag manner like a ballistic comet! With a series of 'poofs', most of the little jellyfishes disappeared, leaving two left—though Mitey and Arsene took care of them.

Shadow looked at his sling-shot in amazement, holding it up and waving as if to cheer himself on for his special move.

"SHADOW! LOOK OUT!" Oliver screamed.

The beggar turned around too late; in his moment of triumph, he failed to notice that the Royal Jelly got its wind back and loomed behind him. Before the boy could make a move, the monster swung its tendrils forth.

*WHAP!*

"Nngh!" Shadow grunted, feeling the sting surge through his body… but he couldn't fall, couldn't move. He was paralyzed! The Royal Jelly prepared to strike him again now that he was stunned-

Something tackled him just then; Esther's Adamantiger! The familiar shoved him out of harm's way.

"Look out! It's about to do something!" Drippy warned.

"Everyone defend!" Oliver called out.

The Royal Jelly cast its own move, _Bolt from the Blue,_ striking the team with lightening! Thankfully, Oliver, Swaine, and the familiars managed to defend in time; the Adamantiger was shielding the beggar, still too stunned to move, during its own defense.

"Ow…!" came a cry; everyone looked over. Esther had been trying to rush over to Shadow with a tonic, having defended too late, and sprawled out on the ground. As a result, her Adamantiger passed out as well.

Seeing the Royal Jelly coming her way, Shadow mentally willed Salem to rush to her aid; but his familiar was running out of stamina. Quickly, he switched him out with Harper to keep Esther shielded.

No good; the Royal Jelly smacked his familiar across the battlefield, knocking him out…

A fireball suddenly hit the monster…

Everything was going black…

The last thing he saw was Oliver rushing over to them…

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Oi! Ye two alright?"

Esther opened her eyes, feeling the effects of a Phoenix Feather rush through her. "What happened…?" she asked, a bit dazed. She looked over, seeing Shadow was coming to as well. "All I can remember is trying to help Shadow, then pain shot through me…"

"You didn't defend and got struck by lightning, that's what happened." Swaine scolded. He turned to Shadow. "And you! From now on, save the celebration until AFTER the battle!"

Shadow bit his lip, wincing as he solemnly nodded.

"What about the Littlies? Are they alright?" Esther asked, ignoring the older man's admonishment.

"Tidy! Tidy! Proper tidy! Yaaaaayyyy!" the Littlies answered, thankfully all well and unscathed from the battle.

"Thank goodness… but… how did that monster get in here?" Oliver asked.

"That's what I've been wonderin', mun. Mam's belly is normally th' safest place in th' world- en't a single thing that could get past her!" Drippy replied.

"Unless… you don't think Shadar was behind this too, do you?"

"Aye, wouldn't surprise me. Th' rotter probably conjured those beasties in order to rile up more trouble!" the fairy gave a reassuring smile. "But once again, we showed 'em what for an' spoiled his plans! Ha!"

"So… now what?" Swaine asked, looking around. "How do we get out of here?"

"Well, th' only way out is through Mam's top!" Drippy pointed to an entryway up above, looking like a chute of sorts. "In order to get out… we'll have to be born again!"

Shadow's jaw dropped. Born?! Again?! It was bad enough they had to help with the 'delivery', but they actually had to be PART of it?!

"You can't be serious…" Swaine sputtered.

"It's th' only way, mun. En't no other option!" Drippy said.

"Er… this is going to be… strange," Esther commented.

"So… h-how does it work? How do we get up there?" Oliver asked, looking up at the chute.

"Give it time, mun- what goes down, must come up!" Drippy assured him.

"Up! Up! And Away!" The Littlies were exclaiming.

"Huh boy…" Swaine rubbed his face.

Shadow remained still. He had no idea how to react to any of this.

Suddenly, the floor shifted, beginning to wave and rumble! "W-Whoa! What's going on?!" Esther cried.

"Ah! Looks like it's time! Get ready, everyone!" Drippy exclaimed.

"Wheeeeeeeeee!" The Littlies exclaimed as suddenly they were all heaved upward!

The chute suddenly became like that of a wind-tunnel, sucking everyone up and through a curving tube that straightened out the higher it went…

*POW!*

Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Shadow found him self shooting up into the air with the group, the Littlies… and confetti?! Down below, he saw a large lagoon… and everyone began to plummet towards it!

*SPLASH!*

Cold, cold, cold, cold! The water was freezing upon impact! Shadow thrashed before managing to swim up to the surface. Up above, many of the fairies were on the bridge, beginning to hop in to help the Littlies get to shore.

Once everyone was back on land, they sat down on the bank, catching their breath. Shadow fell flat on his back. Everyone looked at each other.

"Weirdest. Birth. Ever." Swaine put bluntly, before passing out in exhaustion.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was late in the afternoon before everyone got back on their feet. In Swaine's opinion, no amount of therapy would help him get over such a bizarre experience! He and the others stood on the platform, speaking with Fairy Godmother as she thanked them for their services.

"By the way, ma'am, we ran into some trouble… There was a giant Jellyfish in your stomach!" Esther informed her.

"Oh? Was that what I ate? I could have sworn it was squid!" Fairy Godmother replied.

"What?! You mean you SWALLOWED those things we had to fight?!" Swaine questioned.

"Aye, I like having a swim an' taking in some seafood, like!"

"So it wasn't Shadar's fault…" Oliver noted.

"Shadar ye say? Wicked thing, cloak over his face, breaking hearts?"

"Y-Yeah! You know about him?"

"…Doesn't ring a bell!"

"Blimey, is she taking the mick?" Swaine muttered.

"Ha ha, I'm just funning with ye, lad! Aye, I see him flying 'round overhead, but he can't do much here. There's too large of a positive barrier for his nasty spells to break through,"

"Barrier? What kind of barrier?" Esther asked.

"Humor, of course! We fairies were born with one purpose- to help others laugh! There's more power in a laugh than there is in a wand, y'know. A good joke can do more to help than a spell… Oh! That reminds me! Here's something for ye- consider it a 'thank you' gift for all youer help!"

Shadow watched as Oliver was given several spells. "Jeepers! This is a lot of magic!" Oliver gasped.

"Aye… 'course, most of these spells can only be used by fairies, but I'm sure there's a couple wizards like yourself will be able to use!"

"Thank you, ma'am!"

Shadow looked at one spell, involving someone turning into a cat. He then turned to ask Drippy if he could do the trick… only to find the fairy wasn't with them. He tapped Oliver, pointing at the group. "What is it, Shadow?" Esther asked.

Shadow pointed at himself, Oliver, Esther, Swaine… then at a spot where Drippy would be, before giving a shrug. "Hey… where's Mister Drippy?" Oliver asked.

"Agh, he's around here someplace, I'm sure." Fairy Godmother assured. "Be a dearie and remind him to turn off his light once in a while, would ye?"

Climbing down, the group decided to search for the Lord High Lord of the Fairies, spotting him talking with Smiley and Surely by a bar.

"…Ye were a legend on th' comedy circuit, mun!" Smiley was saying. "Why not take to th' stage again, for ol' times sake?"

"Nah, mun. I gotta keep an eye on that lot, y'know?" Drippy responded, though there was a hint of longing in his tone, as if the offer was tempting.

"Alright, mun, but th' Cavity Club en't th' same without ya," Surely replied.

"Aye, going to be real different if we split up," Smiley added.

"For th' last flippin' time! We're not splitting up…!"

"Mister Drippy really misses living here, doesn't he?" Oliver whispered.

"Hm? Is something wrong, Oliver?" Esther asked.

The young wizard shook his head. "Oh, um… no, everything's alright."

Swaine wasn't convinced; Shadow looked up at him, showing he wasn't fooled either. Something about Oliver was kind of off…

Drippy looked over, noticing the group standing by. "Oh, how do, everyone!" he said, hopping over. "What're ye up to?"

"Nothing, we were just coming to look for you," Oliver answered first.

"Ah, sorry for th' absence, mun. My butties roped me into havin' a drink with 'em, telling 'em about ouer battles in th' belly, an' all that." Drippy then stretched. "Speaking o' which… I'd say it's time for some rest,"

"For once, I agree with you," Swaine replied.

"But where are we going to sleep?" Esther asked.

"No need to ask, lass! We got an Inn right here in town to sleep at!" Drippy pointed down the lane at the small Cat's Cradle.

"Us? Sleep in a fairy hotel?" Oliver asked.

"Well, those arrangements are sure going to be… tiny." Swaine commented.

Esther looked at him. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll manage to have a nice, snorey sleep." She retorted.

Shadow mimicked Swaine sleeping, snorting to imitate him. "Oh, hush! I'm not that loud!" the thief snapped at him, though he only snickered in response.

"C'mon! I'll book ye in! I'm sure they'll let ye stay free for th' night, being friends o' Drippy, Lord High Lord of the Fairies an' all," Drippy told them, leading them along.

Once at the Inn, the group found that the Inn had special accommodations for humans; with a touch of magic, the doors grew in size and opened to small bedrooms! "It en't good business if ouer rooms were only fit for fairies, mun- ye gotta be prepared for any guest!" the Purrprioter said.

Everyone got their own room- the Purrprioter said it was no trouble, since not many visitors came to the island anyway. Shadow, however, still ended up going with Swaine to his room, which the thief didn't understand. "What is it? Can't sleep?" he asked, noticing that downhearted look on the boy's face again.

The boy looked at him once, before his eyes went back to the floor; he shifted, rubbing the back of his neck in unease, as if trying to figure out how to tell him.

The older man pondered for a moment. This was the first time they had stayed in a hotel in a long while. The last time…

Oh.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to run off again." Swaine assured him, giving a grin. "Oliver mended my heart, remember? You lot are stuck with me for a while,"

Shadow shook his head. Hesitantly, he held up his sling-shot, then pointed in the direction of Fairy Godmother. He re-enacted his victory-gesture, before pretending to get stunned; then he grabbed his hair and held it up like a ponytale, before falling to the ground playing dead.

Swaine scratched his head, before realizing the kid was talking about their battle. "I see… you feel bad because you slipped up in that fight,"

Shadow rubbed his arm. He did his hair up in a ponytale fashion again, before falling back again.

"…and Esther got hurt." The thief did recall the familiar-tamer was trying to rush to the boy's aid, thus not reacting quick enough when the Royal Jelly zapped everyone.

And the beggar felt guilty for it.

"Look… everyone makes mistakes. We still won the fight, so don't beat yourself up about it; just be more careful next time, alright?" Swaine patted him on the shoulder.

Shadow only nodded, walking out of the room.

The thief sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before lying down. Despite it was early in the evening, he found himself falling to sleep, too exhausted to think about anything.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

He lied down in his bed, closing his eyes, drifting off into a dream…

A dream… about a memory…

" _Mama… w-why can't you get up?" he gasped, grabbing his mother's hand. "D-Do you need more medicine? I-I'll get the witch doctor!"_

" _Shh… don't worry, muffin," she whispered with a smile; she only ever called him 'muffin' when she needed him to stay calm… though he had doubts he could this time. "Things will be okay…" she placed something in his hand; something wrapped in a cloth. "I want you to have this…"_

 _He unwrapped it… finding it was a humble stone. "A rock?"_

" _It's called a Search-Star… it's supposed to grow warm and light up when you're searching for something. I was going to use it when we started travelling… but… well, I'm afraid it wasn't meant to be,"_

" _W-What? Mama, please… W-We can still travel! A-As soon as you get better! You'll get better, Mama!"_

" _Muffin… shhh," she stroked his face with one hand, while holding hers over the stone. "You can use it. Don't lose it now, okay? It should help you…"_

 _His eyes watered, feeling her hands grew limp. She became still; her eyes were still open, but there was no sign of life in them anymore. "Mama? …MAMA!"_

Shadow gasped, sitting up in bed. He felt fresh tears on his face, quickly wiping them. Hurrying out of bed, he looked in his boot. The stone was still there.

He took a heavy breath, gripping it tight. It glowed softly, signifying that Swaine was still nearby; tucking it away, he lied down in bed, though couldn't bring himself to fall back to sleep. He thought about his mother- how she raised him in the safety of the village; they had to hide out there for reasons he didn't learn about until he was old enough to understand.

They used to live in town… he had a faint memory of when he was two… his mother was carrying him through the streets and out to the fields, outrunning a trio of men.

A couple years later, they went back only to find they were still there; his mother started leaving him in the village for safety; once he got older and acquired Salem, he tried going into town to get them supplies, only to notice the men lingering about.

Perhaps, if he had been a little stronger, he and his mother could have travelled somewhere while she was still healthy enough to walk… or at least been able to go to the hospital when the witch doctor's methods weren't helping.

His mother was stubborn, though. Even though she was growing sick, and staying out in a forest wasn't helping her condition, she didn't want to risk her son getting hurt by the people who- for some reason he never learned- wished them harm.

She wanted to travel with him… but he wasn't big enough to take everywhere. With all the monsters out there, it would be dangerous to take a toddler out into the wilderness! By the time he was big enough… that's when her illness started to show, and eventually she became bedridden.

He kept telling himself he wasn't to blame… that his mother didn't want him hurt… but that didn't lift his spirits at all.

That's why he was focused on getting stronger now. He wanted to make sure he could take care of himself, so no one would have to worry about him!

He thought he was capable of handling himself… until today.

Shadow wiped his eyes, still guilt-stricken as he remembered how Esther got hurt trying to help him, how Swaine scolded him for not paying attention; despite the older man told him everyone makes mistakes, he still couldn't get over his shame.

' _Just be more careful next time',_ the thief said.

He looked at the sling-shot in his hand.

' _Stick to what you know, kid; your skills will awaken, eventually.'_

Swaine did work hard on enhancing it…

Shadow took a deep breath, giving a firm nod. No use feeling sorry for himself- he had to keep at it. He had to keep fighting and getting stronger, just like everyone else.

Stepping out, he decided he could get some early-morning practice in. He considered waking the others, but decided against it: Swaine was definitely not an early-morning person, Oliver was probably still worn out from yesterday, and Esther… well, he couldn't bring himself to face her right now.

…of course, that's exactly what happened the moment he stepped out. The harpist was already wide awake, walking by with a cup of coffee! "Oh! Morning, Shadow," she said. "Did you sleep good?"

Shadow gave a nervous nod. Taking a deep breath, he quickly made gestures to show her he was sorry for endangering her life- but as rapid as his movements were, the message obviously wasn't coming out clear.

Thankfully, she had a better idea. "Here, I got you something," she had him follow him back inside. "In all the chaos yesterday, I forgot to give it to you." She handed him a pencil and a book, filled with blank pages. "I figured it would help you communicate better, since you're learning to write,"

Shadow bit his lip. This girl wasn't making his guilt-trip go any easier! He thought for a moment, before writing two words on a page, showing it her: _im sawry._

The harpist cocked her head. "Um… you wrote that wrong, but… sorry for what?"

He scribbled again: _you got hurt becuz of me._

"Oh…" She stroked his head. "It wasn't your fault, Shadow. If anyone got stunned, I'd still hurry to help them!" she rubbed the back of her neck. "I wasn't careful. I tried to brave the battlefield, and wasn't paying attention."

He wrote again: _neether was i._

She giggled. "Well, I guess we both learned our lesson. …Speaking of which, how about I help you with your spelling, later?" he nodded, giving a relieved smile. "Great! For now, why don't we get some breakfast? I only had some coffee in my pack and was on my way to a tiny café,"

He nodded, preparing to stand up and head out, but she held him back. He gave her a curious glance.

"Hold on, one more thing…" she handed him a package. "Would you mind trying this on?"

…

…

…

Esther waited outside for him as he changed. The harpist went out of her way to find him a new outfit- void of tears and patches. Stepping out, he now wore new pants, a white shirt, and a yellow vest. She also bought him a satchel to keep his slingshot and stones in. He turned around in front of her as if to model and ask, 'How do I look?', making her giggle. "You look great!"

He shook her hand, placing his other hand over his chest and nodding as if to say, 'Thank you'.

"You're welcome," She looked at the hotel. "…What do you think the chances are of us getting Swaine to change clothes?"

Shadow rolled his eyes, making a '0' gesture with his hand, and she had to laugh in agreement. He chuckled too, feeling better than he was earlier.

The mood didn't last long once Oliver and Swaine met up with them, the young wizard looking around. "Has anyone seen Mister Drippy?" he asked, a solemn look in his eyes.


	23. The Voyage Continues

It was fortunate that the Fairy Grounds was a small village, for the group found Drippy quickly. The fairy was standing on the stage at the Cavity Club, surrounded by Littlies- and getting tackled by the tiny fairies! (Shadow could relate to the feeling).

"Mister Drippy really does belong here, huh?" Oliver said quietly, watching the scene with a sad look in his eye.

"What are you saying, Oliver?" Esther asked.

"It's just… this is where he should be, right? With his friends and family,"

Shadow cocked his head in confusion. Sure, there were a ton of other fairies around here, but Drippy had been travelling with Oliver and Esther since… well, he didn't know how long, but the lantern-nosed companion had been with them since they first arrived in Castaway Cove. Why did Oliver suddenly want to leave him behind?

"Are you sure?" Esther asked.

"Y-Yeah… I think so," Oliver replied, though his eyes still shimmered.

Swaine rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, we might as well get going then." He said, showing a hint of forced nonchalance. Shadow elbowed him, giving him a look. "Er… do you want to at least say goodbye, Oliver?"

"No… let's just go," with that, the young wizard began walking off.

Shadow looked back at Drippy, then at Oliver. He bit his lip- he remembered when Swaine had ditched him. He couldn't bring himself to do the same thing to the fairy! He quickly scribbled a note, running up to Oliver and holding it up to him: _'he will be sad if we leev him behind,'_

Oliver shook his head. "No he won't, Shadow… Look," he pointed down the hill at the stage, where the Littlies were still swarming Drippy, who was laughing and begging them to get off. "This is where he wants to be… I don't want to leave him, but… I can't make him leave his home,"

Shadow wrote again. _'I was left behind once… it really hurts,'_

"Huh? …N-No, I mean, we'll come back and visit. It's just… he should be here with his family," The young wizard walked on. "It hurts me too, but… it's for the best."

The beggar sighed, but put away his notebook. If that's what Oliver decided on, he wouldn't make him change his mind.

…

Although that didn't keep him from doubling back and pinning a note to a tree: _'For Drippy'._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Swaine had only glimpsed at the note for a couple seconds, but the message settled in his mind and brought forth guilt. His stomach felt knotted as he thought back to that horrible day- abandoning Shadow in a town he was afraid of, all because he didn't want the kid getting into trouble.

Thinking about it now, he felt like a heel…

Now, he was repeating history…

Well, not quite.

Unlike Swaine, Oliver's reasoning was more apt- for one thing, they were leaving Drippy in a town he liked, surrounded by friends and family, solely because the young wizard didn't want to make the fairy say goodbye to his home so soon. Sure, the thief didn't want Shadow in peril, but deep down he had been selfish—he was sick of splitting supplies and playing 'nursemaid' for a kid he hardly knew.

As they walked down to the beach, he thought about how indifferent he had been when it came to the beggar's feelings. He made the child go into a town that terrified him, refusing to leave the thief's side; the only other time the kid had been so scared was back in Al-Mamoon, hiding inside a vacant apartment because of two men.

The thief pondered about that detail. It was clear those men came from Ding Dong Dell (probably) and had done something to the child that made him afraid to go back into town- beating him no doubt, from what Shadow had explained. As he questioned what and why, he thought back to the details of their features- sadly, he only spotted them from the back.

However, if they were to encounter them again, and if they showed any signs of hostility towards Shadow… well, Swaine DID promise to handle them.

He looked at Oliver and Esther. Sure, the two could handle themselves well (better, since he taught them a couple new tactics), but that didn't mean he wouldn't hesitate to defend them if the situation called for it.

After all, they had fought together before…

He paused just then, something coming to mind on his trip down memory lane. He looked at Shadow- just now noticing his outfit. The kid suddenly looked very familiar…

"There's the ship!"

Swaine snapped out of his thoughts, looking ahead. Sure enough, the Sea Cow was back in its upright position, the hole scarce. Deciding to put his reminiscing on hold, he kept focused on the present- get to Hamelin, and help Marcassin. He could work out the details on the way.

"Ahoy, Oliver! Good to see ya, lad!" Sindbah exclaimed. "We's was worried about ye lot being gone for so long; at least tell me ye found shelter for the night!"

"Yes sir- actually, we found a whole village!" Oliver explained.

"A village? Here? Well! That be good news!"

"How's the ship coming along?" Swaine asked. "Is it ready to sail?"

"We can cast of now! Thankfully the damage wasn't as bad as it looked! We shall set sail upon command," The sailor looked at Oliver as he said this.

"Um… okay," The wizard humbly replied.

"Hmm? Everything okay, lad? Ye look like you forget something!"

Oliver bit his lip, shaking his head. "No sir, we're ready to leave."

"Aye, then! Back to the tides!"

Everyone boarded the ship. Esther went down to the galley, remembering she bought supplies for the ship; Oliver stood by the railing, looking back at the jungle. Shadow stood by him, following his gaze.

Swaine rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't exactly know what to say to cheer the wizard up.

Esther came back up, walking over to the young wizard. "Oliver, it's not too late. If you want, we can turn back," she said.

"No, it's okay…" Oliver replied. "We'll see him again, I'm sure."

Shadow suddenly did a double-take, pointing. Swaine followed his gaze. "What the…? What is that?"

"Huh?" Esther looked, followed by Oliver.

Back at the island… something was cutting through the jungle, across the sands… on the water…?!

" _oooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIII!"_

 _*SHOOM!*_

Everyone gasped, as Drippy jumped onto the boat!

"Aren't ye forgetting someone?!" he snapped.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Mister Drippy!" the group exclaimed, while Shadow gasped.

…mostly because he was astounded the tiny fairy could race to the ship at the speed of light.

"What's th' big idea, leaving me behind?!" Drippy demanded.

"But… you wanted to stay there, didn't you?" Oliver questioned.

"Who said so?! I want names, dates an' times!"

"N-No one! It's just… all your friends and family are back there. Don't you want to stay with them?"

"Aye, but right now my place is with you, just like always! Ever since I was a doll, I've been at youer side, an' ye can bet I'm seeing ya through this to th' end! Why, we're like a family, too!"

"Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick…" Swaine grimaced.

Shadow walked over to Drippy, patting his head. "Agh, don't get soft on me, lad… but I appreciate the note- but work on youer spellin'!" the fairy whipped out the note, handing it back to Shadow.

"Wait, what note?" Esther asked, looking at Shadow; sheepishly, he held it up.

' _We are going back to the ship; we will com see you agin, tell yoor frends we luved there show. We will miss you,'_ the note read.

"You left him a note?" Swaine questioned Shadow; the beggar shrugged.

"That makes sense…" Oliver considered. "Shadow had been left behind before. He probably didn't want you to feel bad, Mister Drippy,"

"Well, talkin' bout it would have been better than a note th' last minute! It's like I en't worth anything to ya!" Drippy sneered.

"It's not that at all! It's just… we get into battles so much, and you seemed so happy back there-"

"I'm happy on the battlefield too, mun! What, ye think that just 'cuz I'm not partaking in fights, I en't worth keepin'?! Well, no more! From now own, th' Lord High Lord of th' Fairies will be pulling his weight! No more sittin' on the sidelines!"

Shadow snapped his fingers, writing Drippy a message: _'Fary Godmother gave Oliver spells used by fairies,'_

"Ah, she did, did she? Lets have a look," Oliver showed him his Wizard's Companion, going through the different spells. "Hmm, ah yes, these are good ones… but they take a lot o' magic, mun- an' not that much use in battle."

"Then what can you do?" Swaine asked.

"Ah! I'm glad ye asked! Well, I happen to have a special trick o' me own- Tidy Tears! Next time ye lot have taken more than ye can handle in a fight, I jump in and heal ye up!"

Shadow cocked his head. He handed him a note: _'Why didn't you do that before?'_

"Well, there was no call for it, mun- Ollie-boy and Esther knew their share of healing spells before, but after that last battle, it's clear everyone burns through magicka like a candlewick!" Drippy looked at the group. "Now that we've got that settled, lets make waves to Autumnia!"

"R-Right! Welcome back, Mister Drippy. We're glad you decided to stay," Oliver replied with a smile.

"Ha! Didn't think ye'd get rid of me so easily, did ya?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With the group fully reunited, the trip went by with ease. Outside of fighting a few creatures that would wash up on deck, everyone felt relaxed. It got to a point where the tides were calm enough that everyone could rest.

Esther, as promised, continued to help Shadow with his spelling, teaching him about grammar. She was just finishing teaching him about comma-use when they noticed the sun was beginning to set. "I think we should stop here for today. It's getting dark," she advised. "We should be in Autumnia soon anyway. We'll continue after we meet the Sage, is that alright?"

Shadow nodded, taking his things and heading down to his quarters. The continent was still about an hour off, so he could rest for a while; he, Oliver, Drippy and Swaine shared quarters on the ship, while Esther got her own room. Walking in, it was no surprise the older man was napping in a hammock.

Quietly, Shadow walked over to his side of the room, sitting at a desk nailed to the floor. He looked at his notebooks; Esther had grabbed him a few: one for lessons, one for communication, and one extra in case he ran out of space.

Of course, he had a different idea for it. He remembered seeing stories in Oliver's Wizard's Companion, and wanted to write one of his own. Not just any story, but a special one- one that his mother used to tell him all the time.

Taking out the fresh notebook, he began to write three words every story began with.

' _Once upon a time…'_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Oliver stood on deck, looking up at the skies. At his side was Drippy. "Something on youer mind, mun?" the fairy asked.

"I'm just looking at the skies. They were this dark when Shadar showed up…" The young wizard noted.

"Aye, I remember… But if he were waiting 'round to see if we survived or not, he would've pulled something by now. I think ouer troubles with him are over for now,"

"I hope so…" Oliver shifted a bit, looking out at the island ahead. "…I'm sorry for leaving you behind, Mister Drippy. You just seemed so happy back home,"

"Enough mun, I get it; ya weren't out to abandon me, ye just thought I wanted to be back wit' my butties an' such. 'Tis true, I miss my days at th' Fairy Grounds… but I can't go home yet mun! You an' me- we've started this quest together, an' we're gonna finish it together! Ye don't expect to drop everythin' an' head back to Motorville, or Esther to turn 'round an' go back to Al-Mamoon, or Swaine 'n' Shadow to ditch us an' go back to bein' street urchins, do ya? We've all joined up with ya, Ollie-boy, an' we en't leavin' anytime soon! Not 'til that Dark Djinn is put outta business!"

The young wizard gave a firm nod. "You're right. We're going to stick together!" He looked around the deck. "Hey, where are Swaine and Shadow?"

"I think they're both below deck," Esther replied, walking over. "It was getting dark, so I decided to wait until later to help Shadow with his spelling. He's doing very good so far!"

"Good to hear, lass, but I think youer lessons will be on hold for a while." Drippy said, motioning towards the continent ahead. "This side o' Autumnia en't known for its sunshine. Th' skies are so smoggy it blocks out daylight."

"Have you been there before, Mister Drippy?" Oliver inquired.

"…No, but it's easy to tell from here. 'Course, I en't one to judge, all parts of th' land have clearer skies than others. You've noticed that haven't ye, Ollie-boy?"

"Yeah, Ding Dong Dell had fair weather, and Al-Mamoon was really hot. …There's places like that in my world too. Some countries are hotter than others, some are covered in snow, and others just have different changing seasons. It depends on where they are on the equator,"

"Right. Th' same goes for ouer world here," Drippy looked ahead at Autumnia. "'Course, I've never seen many places outside of th' Summerlands or Teeheeti. I've travelled with Alicia before, but she's seen more places than I ever got to,"

"Where all did you go?" Esther asked.

"Mostly 'round th' Summerlands. Why, I remember when we visited Castaway Cove before everyone there started wearing swimsuits day 'n' night! Of course, I didn't recall much after bein' turned into a doll, an' Alicia getting trapped in a soul-snare. …In fact, th' only thing I remember is th' day I was given to you, Ollie-Boy!"

"I remember that day too…" Oliver kept himself from wincing, recalling it was that memory that made him cry, his tears breaking Drippy from his curse in the first place. Something came to mind just then. "Hey, Mister Drippy… you remember a lot from being a doll; how come you never noticed my mom and Alicia were soul-mates?"

"I s'pose it slipped my mind, mun. I mean, after ye started growin', you started leaving me up in youer room, an' th' most I could do was sit on youer desk an' communicate with my butties over by here. My memory of youer mam's looks didn't jog 'til ya showed me her picture, like."

"That's your excuse? Really?" Esther questioned.

Drippy gave her a look. "Oi! When ye go a few years without seeing someone, ye tend to forget a few details, like."

"That is true. I didn't recognize Myrtle as your soul-mate until Mister Drippy said something, Esther." Oliver agreed.

"I suppose you're right. It is easy to forget a face," Esther replied, giving it more consideration. "There's probably faces I've probably forgotten- I almost didn't remember Shadow when we met him in Castaway Cove,"

"Speaking of which, we'd better go fetch those two," Drippy stated. "We'll be dropping anchor in fifteen minutes- best make sure everyone's got their gear ready. You never know what kind o' beasties are roaming 'round,"

"I'll go get them," Oliver replied, heading below deck.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 _A graveyard._

 _Who else but him would be daring enough to take his little brother up to a cemetery? Sure, they've done more reckless things before, but they had never gone this far before._

 _All he could remember was coming up to a wide open area, jack-o-lanterns placed here and there as if it were Halloween, before suddenly something burst out-_

"Swaine? Shadow?"

Swaine opened his eyes, looking over at Oliver as he entered the room. Shadow entered the room some time ago, it seemed, as the beggar was sitting at the desk writing. "Oh, hi Oliver…" the older man said, standing up and stretching. "What's going on? Trouble on deck?"

"No, we're going to be anchoring soon. Do you guys have everything?" Oliver asked.

Shadow nodded, putting away his notebook.

"Yeah, we should." Swaine replied, double-checking his pistol and supplies they split.

"Okay. I'll see you on deck," Oliver replied, grabbing his pack and heading up.

Swaine let out a heavy breath. _This is it,_ he thought, grabbing his pack and walking out, Shadow following him.

Once the ship came to the shore, the sailors bid them good luck, promising to be waiting for them when they were ready to set sail again. Walking up the beach to a path that led to solid ground, the thief could only look around. It felt strange, the lands familiar yet feeling uncharted to him.

"Swaine? Is something wrong?" Esther asked, catching the faraway look in his eye.

He shook his head. "Nah, just miss the fresh air," he stated, looking around at all the oil wells. Being on different soil for so long, he forgot about the smoggy skies and smell of fuel, smoke and steam.

"So, which way is Hamelin?" Oliver asked, looking at the map.

"This way," Without hesitation, he started walking north, the others curiously following and no doubt wondering how he could possibly know. No matter how many years went by, he still remembered the way.

After all these years, he was going back home.


	24. Hamelin

The trek was a long one. The skies had been dark when the Sea Cow reached port, and seemed to grow darker the further they went inland.

Shadow looked up at the skies; they were cloudy, blocking out any signs of the stars and moon (he wondered if sunlight could even cut through the thick smog). The oil wells in the distance pumped up and down, their sounds of hissing and clanking echoing across the landscape. Had it been easier to see, he would have taken in the sights.

Fighting the creatures was another distraction. There were creatures that looked like advanced forms of ones they had fought before, but others the beggar had never thought existed- living robots, mainly. On new soil, their aura was unfamiliar to the monsters and they spent a good hour of their trek fending them off.

Esther, managing to tame a Tin-Man, gave it to Shadow as a third familiar; he thought of the name 'Ratchet' and accepted. "I don't think I have enough energy to continue," the familiar-tamer said, wiping her brow once the battlefield was clear. "Can we rest a moment?"

"With all these wild beasties an' bots running 'bout? I highly doubt we'd get two minutes worth," Drippy pointed out.

Swaine walked ahead, pointing at some railway tracks that led across a chasm. "Over here. Monsters hardly come on these tracks- probably." he said, beginning to walk across without waiting for a response.

Shadow followed, not seeing Oliver and Esther exchange confused glances. They made it to the middle, sitting down for a rest. The chasm below was 1000 feet deep, he could barely make out the bottom even if there were sunlight. He wanted to keep close to Swaine, but had learned that clinging to others at a great height would cause someone to topple over, so he kept a gap between them.

"Hamelin is just over there," Swaine told him, pointing onward at a pig-shaped structure built close to the mountains. Shadow noticed that's where most of the smog was coming from. "I know, it doesn't look like the cleanest place, but the air is fresher inside- at least, I'm sure it is."

The beggar cocked his head. The man seemed to know so much about this place.

"Anyone want something to eat?" Oliver asked as he, Esther and Drippy sat down near them. He looked ahead as he passed everyone a sandwich. "Is that the city?"

"Aye, you bet," Drippy replied.

"Golly… it looks different than everywhere else. There's so much smoke!"

"It's actually smog. Hamelin is known for its mechanics," Swaine told him.

"Really?" Oliver gave him a curious glance. "What kind of machines do they build?"

"Heh, you sure seem interested,"

"Well, yeah. My friend, Phil, and I love working on cars back in Motorville…" he rubbed the back of his neck. "That's… actually why I'm here."

Swaine paused a beat. "I thought your plan is to defeat Shadar?"

"I am! But… there's something else I plan on doing, after we defeat him."

"Oi, Ollie-boy," Drippy whispered, nudging the boy wizard. "Not to be rude, mun, but this en't the time nor place to be bringing up personal matters. Don't want to dampen the mood when we're so close, eh? We need to stay in high spirits when we meet this sage,"

"Um… okay,"

Swaine only scoffed. "Whatever. Your business is your business," he muttered, continuing to eat his sandwich.

Shadow looked at the two of them. Sighing, he continued to eat as well. As long as he got answers later, everyone could keep to themselves.

After their sandwiches, they made their way to the mechanized kingdom. The gates were located beneath the 'snout' of the structure, looking like a large metal wall; they opened horizontally, as if the structure were preparing to eat them. They walked inside, watching as the gates closed behind them, and descended some steel stairs to a less busy side of town.

Everyone froze, seeing the sight before them: guards and civilians alike dressed as pigs!

"Jeepers! Look at everyone!" Oliver gasped.

"They're all dressed as pigs!" Esther noted in her surprise.

"…dammit, what is he doing?" Swaine cursed under his breath, forging ahead.

"What was that, Swaine?" Oliver asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm going to go look around, see if I can find us some answers. See you soon!" With that, the thief shot off like a bullet!

Shadow did a double-take, before running off after him! "Wait a minute! SWAINE…!" Esther yelled, running off after him.

It was no use. They lost sight of the thief in the crowd. Shadow's fingers twitched and he looked at his satchel; he wanted to use the Search Star to track him down, but as crowded as the street was, there was a chance the rock would get swiped, knocked out of his hand, or fall prey to wandering eyes. Instead, he followed Esther back to Oliver and Drippy.

"Ugh, the nerve of that man… What is with him?!" the familiar-tamer seethed, crossing her arms in irritation, her gaze focused on the direction Swaine had gone.

"He has been acting strange since we got here," Oliver noted.

"Well, best not wait 'round for him to get back. C'mon! Let's check out th' town and see if we can't find ouer Sage!" Drippy exclaimed, hopping ahead.

The kids walked along. All the while, Shadow kept his eyes open for Swaine, wondering where he had gone to, and why he was acting so shifty all of a sudden. It was clear he had a connection to this city… but why was he being so secretive about it?

They had walked down a flight of steps that led to another street, when suddenly an announcement blurted out over the speakers: _"Attention! Make way for the royal procession!"_

"A royal procession? Here?" Esther questioned.

Right at that moment, buildings began to move! Everyone watched as the structures moved on interchanging tracks on the ground, rotating and making the street wide enough. Up ahead, a large caravan was approaching!

"Run for it- aaahh!" Drippy exclaimed, and the group hurried to get out of the way!

They ran up to the sidelines, listening as the crowd chanted 'Hamelin!' with pride.

The problem was, in the thick hog-clad crowd, Shadow ended up separated from the others. He searched around for them- it had to be easy, since they were the only ones not in masks- but it was difficult to maneuver. He wasn't used to crowds… in fact, they scared him, as he felt himself growing dizzy, hyperventilating and everything seemed to spin.

He fell to his knees, ready to pass out-

Something caught his eye- a lantern! He could make out Oliver's cape as well.

Crawling, he made it over to them, taking in a deep breath as he leaned against the edge. "Shadow? Are you okay?" Oliver asked. He gave him a nod of reassurance.

The Caravan passed by just then. Seated at the top was a pig-masked person in royal attire. "So that's the Prince?" Esther guessed.

"Sure looks like it," Drippy confirmed.

Arms wrapped around the group just then; Shadow looked up, giving a relieved smile.

"Welcome to Hog Heaven," Swaine quipped, having returned to them.

Once the caravan had passed, the crowds began to disperse slowly. It was still hard to walk through the streets, the beggar hanging on to the thief's jacket as they made their way down to the wide open street. "Look at Shadow," Oliver whispered in curiosity to the others. "I wonder what's gotten into him?"

"He's probably making sure th' rotter doesn't bolt on us again," Drippy scoffed.

With the streets clear, the group was quick to confront their ditching comrade. "Swaine! You're such a… a pain!" Esther sputtered. "You can't just take off on us like that!"

"Sorry, but there was something I needed to do. If it helps, I managed to find out some information about our sage," Swaine coolly replied. "There's talk that there's a scrawny servant boy who runs errands for him; no one but him as seen him outside of his chambers OR his pig-mask. The servant has long hair and fair skin,"

"That sounds like the young man in the picture," Oliver replied, surprised. "But… how could he be a servant?"

"Ouer only answers are inside that palace, I bet." Drippy surmised.

Just then, there came another announcement over the speakers. _"Attention all Hamelin! The Prince has passed a new law! All eye-contact is forbidden! I repeat, no one is to make eye-contact with anyone! Any individual who breaks this law will be forced to pay a fee of 5,000g or spend 30 years in prison…!"_

Shadow arched an eyebrow, writing on a notepad and handing it to Swaine; noticing some guards nearby, he didn't look at the thief. " _'Why the hell can't we look at each other?'_ …Hey, watch the language," Swaine read aloud, crumbling the note. "But I agree- why the hell is he making these ridiculous laws?!"

"Something isn't right… We have to talk to him!" Oliver said, and immediately the group headed to the palace.

Along the way, Shadow looked around at the city. There were all sorts of shops lining the streets, the houses were tall and made of metal, and there were various tracks lining and curving down the streets, showing that the buildings could rotate in any direction. Giant gears turned here and there, and he could make out the sounds of hissing steam and shifting pumps.

Oliver seemed the most fascinated; once or twice the wizard would be looking around, having to shake his head and focus on the palace up ahead. The wizard really loved machines, for some reason.

Swaine seemed to have a different look in his eye; as if he had seen all this before, yet at the same time it looked different.

Once at the palace gates, they were stopped by two guards. "Hold it! No one enters the Porcine Palace uninvited!" one of the guards snapped.

"Please, sir, we need to speak with the great sage!" Oliver stated.

"The great sage? Ha! That's a good one."

"Bunch o' ruddy travelers like yourselves have no business here. Unless the prince summons you himself, scram!" the second guard sneered.

"Now listen here! It is important that we see him at once! If not him, why not the prince?" Esther spoke up in defiance. "Let us in to speak with him!"

"Listen up, the lot o' you! Access to the palace is forbidden! End of story!"

"The only way in is either by invitation… or being sent to the dungeon," the first guard warned.

"COMPLETELY understandable, sorry for wasting your time." Swaine said before Esther could make a remark, and ushered the kids and fairy down the street.

"Now what? We have to see him, somehow…" Oliver sighed.

Shadow held up a note: _'We could start a staring-contest and break the law, that would probably get his attention.'_ It was ringed with cynicism.

"I've got a better idea. Follow me," Swaine said, and led them back up the stairs and towards the entrance of the city… before cutting through a narrow alley.

Shadow stuck close to the group; dim gaslights lit the narrow walkway, and he could make out a ruckus from a tavern. They soon came across a shop at the very end; entering, he took note of shelves stocked with items he had never seen in other shops- ulk horns, shadow-glass claws, and other rare materials caught his eye.

They approached the desk, finding a man wearing a long-eared cap and bearing a thick gray mustache, having a burly figure. "Welcome to the Black Market, strangers. Anything ol' William Abel can dig up for ya?" he asked in greeting.

"There is something we need. We need some grunt armor," Swaine replied.

"Grunt armor? …What do you lot need it for?" William Abel asked in suspicion.

"Let's just say the place we need to get into has a strict dress-code,"

"Hmph. Well, sorry mate, but we don't carry none of that stuff. You'll have to look somewhere else,"

"It's okay, Swaine. We'll just think of something else," Oliver stated.

"(Hang on, I got this)," Swaine whispered, before turning back to the shopkeeper. "Look, I know about Grace."

"You what?!" William Abel questioned, astounded.

"I know you'd do anything to keep her safe."

"How did you know…?"

"When you live in the gutter, you hear a few things… So, about that armor?"

"Why you…! Grr, fine. One moment," With a grunt, William Abel walked into the back room.

Everyone looked at Swaine, Esther the most appalled. "I don't believe you! Stooping so low as to threaten that man!" she scolded. "We could have gotten that armor another way!"

"Just trust me on this," Swaine replied, keeping his cool.

William returned. "You're in luck, we happen to have some armor that should suit you lot just right. …I have to hand it to your friend here. He really knows how to play his cards right,"

"H-Huh? What do you mean?" Esther questioned, confused; she figured the man would be bitter with the thief for his blackmail!

"About Grace. He must know a thing or two out there on those streets, if he knows how to get what he needs without any conflict,"

"So… it wasn't a threat?" Esther looked at Swaine apologetically. "Swaine, I…"

The thief looked at her, giving a reassuring smile. "It's alright. C'mon, let's try on our armor."

…

William brought out four suits of armor- and one helmet for Drippy, as there was no armor tiny enough for the midget fairy. Shadow pulled on his armor, which sported a yellow trim; it was bulky on him as he was the smallest [human] of the group, though he was thankful he could fit his satchel inside; the only problem was he couldn't write notes.

The group looked at one another. "How do we look?" Oliver asked.

"Perfect! We should fit right in," Swaine replied.

"I don't know what you lot are up to… but I suppose it's best if I don't ask 'n' find out. I wish ya luck, at least!" William replied.

"Thank you, sir!" Oliver responded.

"Mine feels too big… Does it make me look fat?" Esther asked.

"I certainly can't tell," Swaine quipped.

"Hmph!"

Shadow shook his head; if the armor wasn't so clumsy to move in, there was a chance the thief would've gotten a kick to the shins. He could hear Drippy lightly chuckling about the banter.

"Alright, guys. Let's go!" Oliver announced.

They moved through the streets, taking a Shortcut that led them straight to the main streets and heading straight for the gates. Sure enough, the guards didn't recognize them… but that didn't mean they were granted access immediately. "Halt! ...What are you grunts think you're doing?" the first one asked.

"(Let me do the talking)," Swaine whispered to them. "Pardon, but we were sent on an errand for the Prince. He was craving his favorite snack,"

"(Seriously, mun? A snack run?!)" Drippy questioned.

"I don't recall the Prince giving such an order…" The second guard replied in suspicion. "Care to recall what kind of treat he likes? Somewhat of a delicacy, I heard…"

"(Oh my gosh, Swaine, just be quiet!)" Esther quietly begged.

"Oh yes, black truffles are quite savory to him," Swaine responded with total confidence.

"Huh! Alright then, I guess your story checks out." The second guard replied.

"I sure could go for some myself," the first one added, as they stepped aside and allowed the group to enter.

"(Swaine, that was amazing! How do you know all this stuff?)" Oliver asked, impressed.

"(Aye, mun, spill th' beans already! Ye sure know a ton 'bout this place 'n' whatnot!)" Drippy added.

"(Later, alright? We've got a sage to find,)" Swaine told them. Someone bumped into him, and he looked at Shadow. "(Heh, you moving okay, kid?)"

Shadow's helmet wobbled as he nodded. "(Oh! I almost forgot he was with us! He's so quiet,)" Esther said.

"(And quiet is what we all need to be; we may have gotten by those two guards, but the ones inside are trained to be twice as sharp,)" Swaine informed them as they walked through the doors. "(If we get too close, they're sure to notice we're not part of their faction,)"

"(Swaine's right. These disguises may fool their snout-covered faces from afar, but any closer an' they'll see through our piggy-disguises!)" Drippy agreed. "(We'll have to be as stealth as Shadow to get by! …See those nooks? If a guard is coming by, we can duck down 'n' hide 'til their backs are turned,)"

"(Jeepers… I feel like a criminal,)" Oliver gulped.

"(But how can we find the Great Sage if we're sneaking around?)" Esther questioned.

"(Just follow me… I think I know where to find him,)" Swaine stated.

Moving swiftly, they maneuvered through the hallways, ducking in a nook when a guard was approaching, then quickly rushing around the corner. They found a set of doors, but do their dismay they were locked. "(What do we do if we get caught?)" Oliver asked as they continued on, peering around a corner and waiting for a guard to turn around.

"(Simple, mun. In times like that, ye just stand tall, look 'em square in th' eye… then flippin' leg it!)" Drippy replied.

The sneaking seemed to go on for a while. Every so often Swaine would pause, having the group wait behind a corner or nook, before signaling them it was safe to keep moving. They came across another set of doors that was locked, before managing to reach a pair that were left open. Beyond them was a boiler room.

Shadow took off his helmet, taking in some air. It was getting stuffy in his costume, and the steam from the pipes wasn't making it any better. Swaine led them over to a manhole in the ground. "We'll have to continue through here," he told them.

"Our armor is too big though! We won't fit," Oliver replied.

"Then I guess this is where we lose our disguises,"

"Well, YOU lot will; I've got the best disguise of all!" Drippy exclaimed.

"Oh? What did you do, learn to speak with a Hamelin accent?"

"Nah, mun! This helmet is th' perfect disguise! If trouble comes, all I have to do is kneel down…" the fairy did so. "…and it'll look like someone just left their helmet layin' 'round!"

"…And if someone tries to pick it up?"

"…Er, I'll get to that plan when the time comes,"

Shadow rolled his eyes. They crawled out of their armor, leaving the heavy costumes piled in a corner. The beggar looked down into the manhole. For some reason, he had a bad feeling about crawling down there. Nonetheless, they went down, climbing down a ladder and moving through a narrow walkway covered in pipes- they had to step over, duck, arch their bodies and shimmy through in order to avoid touching the hot metal. Thankfully their cramped maneuvering didn't last long as Swaine led them to another ladder to a different manhole.

Climbing up, he peeked out the manhole before sliding the lid off, helping the kids and fairy out. Up ahead was a large indoor courtyard, with clear-water fountains lining the gardens. Overhead was a skylight that managed to give some light into the otherwise-dim palace.

"Look at this place, it's huge…" Oliver said in amazement.

"It's beautiful," Esther included. Swaine tapped her on the shoulder, thumbing in one direction.

"This way, c'mon," The thief said, hurrying on.

"Swaine, wait up!"

Everyone hurried to catch up with him… freezing when they saw him running back!

"RUUUUUNNNN!" Swaine hollered… being chased by a giant pig-tank! He managed to rush and stumble out, the tank getting caught on a couple pillars, however it managed to shift its cannons so it could pass through!

The group backed up, watching as the tank shifted gears and turned towards them. One thing was clear- they were in for another fight!

Shadow weakly looked at his slingshot, suddenly wishing he had more firepower.

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 **A/N: …I know I got a lot of dialogue wrong in this chapter, please bear with me :P**


	25. The Pig Masked Prince

Shadow dove out of the way as the pig-tank tried to run him over. Immediately the group spread out in battle formation. "Oi! These machine-types can't take storm-damage! Use some familiars that can do a few wind techniques!" Drippy advised.

The beggar summoned Harper, as his familiar knew Whirly-Whirlies. However, it wasn't enough; thankfully Oliver and Esther had a couple familiars that could help out. Swaine summoned Gunther, sending him into the fight, but his familiar's attacks weren't working on the mechanical menace.

The tank tried to run them all down- Esther getting hit! Quickly, Oliver used a healing spell on her; however while he was tending to her, they didn't notice the tank had paused, about to use a Gannon-Cannon- aiming it at Gunther!

"Defend! Defend!" Swaine was calling to his familiar, but the Hurly was hesitating!

*POW!*

"Agh!" Swaine cried, feeling his familiar's pain. The tank revved, preparing to run him down.

Shadow quickly grabbed a gem out of his pocket; several creatures dropped them in battles. Normally they were used to feed to familiars to learn new abilities, but he had no time to feed one to his own- instead, he loaded it into his sling-shot and shot it at the tank.

A burst of wind exploded around it, and the tank turned in his direction. He summoned Harper again, hitting it with wind damage. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a blizzard formed around the tank! He looked, seeing Gogo had caught a golden glim and used her miracle move!

The tank ceased for a moment. "Now's our chance! All-Out Attack!" Oliver exclaimed, the group hitting the tank with everything they had.

Shadow shot another gem at it, this one causing water-damage. It wasn't enough, and he realized he was down to stones. Harper was low on energy, and he summoned Salem to use Arc-Fire. Drippy hopped in and used his 'Tidy Tears' technique to heal the group. Esther summoned a Beach-Head she had tamed to hit the tank with an electric current.

With one more shot, the tank finally gave in, collapsing as a tiny white flag popped out of the top!

The group panted. A paper appeared before Oliver, describing the tank—Porco Grosso. "Jeepers, this was the guardian?" he gasped.

"That makes sense," Drippy scoffed.

Swaine picked up a cog that rolled out of the machine, pocketing it. "Yeah, well, we need to get moving- all that commotion attracted the guards!" he said, hearing shouts echoing down the corridors.

Without hesitation, the group shot off down the corridor. Sure enough, some guards were on their tail! They ran down a short flight stairs, hiding behind a pillar (while Drippy made himself look like a discarded helmet) as guards ran by. They then shot down another corridor, this one longer than the rest.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Swaine looked ahead at the double doors, praying that they had been left unlocked. The royal chambers never had been locked in the past, and he hoped his brother hadn't changed that.

Luck was on their side as they burst into the room… seeing a pig-masked person in royal garb quickly composing himself. The group lightly gasped… though Swaine's was mortified rather than shocked. _Oh for crying out loud…! Seriously?!_ He thought.

"Who are you?!" the pig-masked royal questioned, though from the sounds of his voice was trying to find his confidence.

"This must be the prince…" Oliver gasped.

"C-Correct. I am Prince Marcassin, the royal sage of Hamelin! Now, what are you doing here? …Well?"

The group hesitated out of awkwardness… and Swaine felt the most discomfort out of the entire group. _What are YOU doing?! Have you lost your mind?!_ He wanted to shout.

Of course, before anyone could say anything, the mask came undone and slipped off! "Wha- Nooo!"

Everyone gasped… though Swaine was the most shocked. The young prince beneath the mask was pale—sure, he was pale himself, but compared to his brother he might as well have a suntan! The clothes around his pig-suit also looked familiar, and it had dawned on him that those were the clothes their father used to wear. _Does he have no shame?! And when was the last time he saw daylight?_

"You can't…! Don't…! Agh!" The prince then ran and covered his face, kneeling by the couch and waving them back. _"_ Look away! Just go! Please, go away…!"

The thief was speechless, staring at the man he used to know as his little brother, now a scrawny pale-skinned mess of a human being. _Marcassin… what HAPPENED to you?_

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Shadow watched as the pig-costumed prince sobbed on the couch, shame on his face. What baffled the lad was why he was so embarrassed! Was it a custom in Hamelin to wear pig-masks at all times in front of company, and without so was to be frowned upon?

"So… this is the Great Sage?" Esther questioned, astounded.

"Got it in one," Swaine answered.

"Your highness? …We need to speak to you," Oliver spoke up. "We need a favor,"

"A favor?" The prince repeated, having quieting his sobs. He clenched his fists. "Oh, I see! Now that you know my secret, you mean to blackmail me!"

"No, that's not it! …We need the Great Sage's help,"

"Great… sage?" As if waking from a dream, the prince stood up, keeping his eyes on the ground. "I'm sorry… but your journey is in vain. The Great Sage you're looking for died 15 years ago,"

"But you inherited his powers, didn't you?" Swaine questioned, and Shadow wondered exactly how much more information the man could know!

"I'm sorry… but there's nothing I can do for you. I am no Great Sage…" He turned towards them, aggravation on his face. "Now, go! You have no business here!"

"But we came all this way…" Esther sighed.

Shadow scribbled a message: _'Does this mean the prince doesn't know magic or something?'_

"Oi, c'mere a mo," Drippy whispered to the group. "Don't be fooled by his sorry state, that lad's got magic in him! Th' problem is he doesn't feel like it's there- lackin' Belief he is."

"You mean he's heartbroken?" Oliver guessed.

"That he is. Look at him- people can tell him he's beautiful 'til they're blue in th' face, but he won't listen! He can't bring himself to have faith in anyone, not even himself,"

Shadow scratched his head, handing Oliver a note. _'What do you mean he's heartbroken?'_

"It means he's no use to us in this state," Swaine muttered, reading the note as well. "He's more trouble than he's worth…"

"What are you still doing here? I said go! Before I call the guards!" the prince snapped at them.

"Your highness… We're going to bring you something that may help. Just wait here!" Oliver assured him.

"Help…? I doubt anything will help me. Just go…"

The group turned to leave, letting out a few sighs. "Don't worry- all we have to do is find someone with enough Belief, and he'll be willing to help us!" Esther assured.

"Right… that is, if we can sneak out of the palace without getting caught," Swaine muttered as they entered the hall.

Shadow looked back at the prince a moment; Drippy said he was lacking belief in himself, and Oliver concurred it was because of heartbreak. From the way they were talking, it seemed they had to help the prince the same way they had helped Swaine.

Scribbling a note real quick, he went back into the room. "Wha…? What are you doing back here?" he demanded. Without hesitation, the beggar handed him the note, gave a quick nod, then hurried out to catch up with the others.

He may not know magic, but hopefully his gesture would help in some way.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Marcassin watched as the boy ran off to catch up with the group. As they walked down the corridor, he studied the tallest member. "I know that man from somewhere… but where?" he asked himself, trying to remember. The way he looked at him in annoyance triggered some memories… but he couldn't bring himself to clear his head.

He looked at the piece of paper in his hand. It was a note: _'I believe in you,'_

The young sage squinted, sitting down and studying it as if it were an ancient scripture. "This message…" he whispered, as the rough lettering struck him familiar as well.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was quiet in the halls, Swaine noticed. Unless the guards left the palace in order to search for them, he had to keep his guard up in case of an ambush. He was a bit careless earlier- having been gone from home so long, he had forgotten which hallway led to the royal chambers… until Porco Grosso jogged his memory.

However he didn't expect for the entire indoor court to fill with fog the moment they entered. "Whoa! What's happening?" Oliver gasped. "Where's all this fog coming from?"

"Everyone stay close!" Swaine told them, and he felt someone grip his sleeve, knowing exactly who it was. "Not THAT close, Shadow!"

"Look!" Esther yelped, pointing at silhouettes in the fog.

The thief's eyes widened as the fog cleared, finding themselves surrounded by guards… only these guards weren't wearing bulky armor and pig-masks, but the same uniforms that they once had when he left home. "Halt! Who goes there?!" one of them shouted. "Stand your ground!"

"W-What's going on?" Oliver stammered.

"You're trespassing in the royal palace of Hamelin, that's what!" another guard shouted.

"Crikey… we're busted!" Drippy stammered.

"Hold your arms!" came a voice… a familiar voice that the thief had not heard in years.

Stepping forth was a man of tan skin, long dark hair, and a stone-cold gaze. Swaine felt his blood freeze and his heart stop, his complexion growing paler as he looked at the man before him.

 _Dad…?!_

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 **A/N: Special shout-out to** _ **technicallyoneofakind**_ **on Tumblr for a post that inspired some ideas for this chapter. :D**


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